Blacklight
by Chaos Productions
Summary: Is Lucy truly the bringer of a new genesis? Or are there other creations, who had their own goals? What if some still existed, and went against theirs? And what if they are tied to Lucy in a way? ELxPrototype Crossover. Some other games/animes as well.AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own _Elfen Lied, Burst Angel, Gears of War, inFamous or [PROTOTYPE]._ There, speaking up is half the battle won. I also don't own Lucy, Nana, Mayu, Kouta, Yuka (thank God), Alex Mercer, Dana Mercer and Captain Cross. I only own the characters I'm making up for this fic. I am not making any money off this fic (it's probably gonna be way too crappy), and I don't mean to infringe on any patents or ownerships or whatever of these animes and games.

Summary: a crossover between my two favourite animes, _Elfen Lied_ and _Burst Angel_, and my three favourite games, namely _[PROTOTYPE], inFamous_ and _Gears of War_.

This is just a basic fic I decided to write that crosses three games with my favourite animes, namely Burst Angel and Elfen lied. The three games are Prototype, Gears of War and inFamous (Please help and tell me what OC, AU, OOC and Flames mean…). Please read and review this, as I would like to become a better writer with your help, and please help me with a) tips or b) criticism, and thanks in advance for reading.

Btw. There are some MAJOR changes in the games' stories. All will be explained in the story. Please, try not to laugh too hard. Also, there are a number of 'made up' characters that belong to me in this story. At least I own them. ;)

Now, on to the story!!

Many thanks, _--Slipkn0T--(author)._

CHAPTER 1

It was a fairly peaceful day in Kamakura. Streets were silent, with the majority of the doors and windows on the houses closed. Those that were open hardly let out any sound. Or, at least, that was how things had seemed for a very dazed Lucy, slowly striding towards the one place she could call home, the one place she knew was loved, no matter how makeshift and strange her "family" was. Her head was slumped, her crimson locks slightly covering her eyes while she tried to make sense of what happened four days before.

"Fire!!"

The general's voice echoed over the bridge. Lucy weakly, possibly unwillingly raised her vectors to at least try to shield against the rain of lead that would be coming her way any second now. Her thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Kouta on the steps. She was aware of the pain and heartache she caused him, and she knew what would happen now. She remembered his words, how he had confessed his love, and the kiss they shared before she walked to her death. At that exact moment, for the first time since her childhood, she felt _alive_. 'I…took so much from him…and he still cares…after all…'. Her thoughts seemed to slow the world around her to a snail pace. She saw the last members of the SAT slowly readying their aim. 'I know I can't go back now' Her vectors lowered a bit after that last thought, and time resumed it's normal pace around her as the soldiers on the bridge opened fire, sending a hail of steel bullets in her direction. Her vectors still stopped most of the bullets, but some of them got past. Pain suddenly overtook her body as she was hit in the right shoulder, then in her left leg. It caused her vectors to disappear, and as she was preparing for the shot that would end her, release her from this Hell, a loud _crack_ emanated from an area on her head. Her other horn was blown clean off, and spiralled upwards as she fell, suddenly unable to do anything. The pain pulsed through her entire body, making her quake and shiver like never before. Then the shots stopped. With great effort, she shifted her head to see what was going on. The soldiers were hastily pulling empty cartridges from their weapons, desperate to resume fire before she could react. Time slowed again. Images of Kouta, Mayu, Nana and even Yuka started drifting into her thoughts. She saw her family, the people who showed her love, and friendship. She saw the Inn, and every moment she and her other persona, Nyuu, had spent there.

_No_, she thought, _it's not my time…not yet…_ Gathering every bit of energy and willpower she had, she forced herself onto her feet. _I don't want to die…_ She glanced at the soldiers and saw them flinch, some even made an attempt to move backwards. With newfound strength, she straightened up and said to herself: _I won't die…not here…and not because of them._ In seconds, her pain vanished, now replaced by her newfound will to survive. All four of her vectors now appeared; ready to dispose of those who had dared to try to kill her. As she readied her vectors to deflect the bullets that would soon start flying again, she heard a very distinct sound. A far away growl, almost like a low humming sound. It reminded her of someone inhaling, and apparently the soldiers heard it too. Lucy and her opponents scanned their surroundings for the source of this peculiar sound, which was oddly growing louder by the second. Their attention was turned to the skies when a distant _bang_ was heard. As she squinted, Lucy saw a very odd sight. A flame had appeared in the sky, and it was growing bigger each second. The humming sound started fading, and as it disappeared, she heard the general of the SAT yell a command at his men, fear present in every word he spoke:

"Fall back! Retreat! Get back to the chopper, before –" He was cut off when the source of the flame hit the bridge, resulting in a deafening explosion, and a shockwave that sent Lucy flying backwards. She landed near the start of the bridge, hitting her head on the pavement and scraping her now broken horn on the walkway. Pain once again coursed through her entire body, forcing her to stay down for a few moments. After about five minutes, the pain subsided and she was able to stand up again. She monitored her former opponents and found them all lying, lifeless and some missing limbs, near a crater at the far end of the bridge. Debris, flames and ruined weaponry were everywhere, and the bodies closest the point of impact had caught fire. Lucy had decided that staying there might not be the best idea…

* * *

_What happened?_ She kept asking herself about the occurrences that night, and she did her best to answer them meaningfully. She was, in fact, so deep in thought that she didn't notice the black sedan following behind her…

"Shit, man, shouldn't we try to help her? She's gonna faint if she don' make it to shelter soon" came the voice from an African American man to his partner. "Besides, she got her ass shot full of holes." The man's partner spoke, in a low growl: "Our orders are to make sure she gets to that house. She's made four days so far. Quit being so fucking paranoid. We're on duty, in case you've forgotten."

"Aw shit man" the first answered "It's not like she's like us. Sure, she's got them arms and shit but she's hardly seems adult. She ain't got endurance like ours, Johnny. Besides, she's a chick."

"If Dana were here now, you wouldn't have had any teeth left. Drop your sexist attitude and shut your trap. We're about a quarter mile away now, Dwayne. You know how we operate. If something goes wrong we improvise." John said while reaching for the back seat and grabbing what looked like a small briefcase. "Captain Cross said there may be a chance she faints" he growled while pulling a small rifle from the case. He reached into one of the inner pockets of his black trenchcoat, pulled out a small dart, and loaded it into the gun. "If she does…well, it's nothing a shot of adrenaline can't fix."

"But that shit's dangerous! She could lose a lot of blood that way! Man, where the fuck do you get your ideas from? Shit, and they say I'm the stupid one."

"Why the fuck do think the dart's hardly half full?! You reckon I don't know a normal dose can kill her? Unlike you, I do my homework on my assignments _correctly_. This isn't Detroit. You and your "boys" can't solve a problem simply by shooting at it. You mess up here and our entire operation is fucked! Cross confirmed four bullet wounds, three to her left leg and one to her right shoulder. I know what the options are and I know how to work here, so shut up and let me do my job!"

With a grunt, Dwayne turned his attention away from John, and they started to focus on Lucy again. She was starting to pull away from them, so John started the car and began to follow her again. _I've worked with him far longer than Dwayne thinks. I won't have some wannabe gangster jeopardizing this mission because my M.O is different to what he used to do on the streets_, John thought whilst silently keeping up with Lucy. _This is MY way of doing my job. I make the decisions, and I bear the consequences. You still have a lot to learn before you become an expert merc, Dwayne…_

Lucy still couldn't come up with a rational answer to her questions. Were they aiming for her? Or did they want to take down the SAT as well? Her pace slowed. The fatigue was getting to her, and her entire body ached. She stopped to catch her breath and build up her strength, but as she prepared to walk again, she heard something distinctly familiar. A dog, barking. She turned, and to her relief, and shock, she saw that she was at the inn. Her emotions started to build up, and tears started to form in her eyes. Then she heard their voices: "We have visitors?" She recognised Yuka's voice, and although she wasn't exactly good friends with her, she was happy to hear her again. She listened on, and heard the voice of the one person she loved more than ever. "I dunno…I'll go check." Hearing Kouta's voice made her face heat up, and now the tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Is she depressed? Or is that the other persona? The stupid one?" Dwayne asked as the black car came to a halt a few metres from where Lucy was standing. "'Cos really, cryin' is the last thing she should be doin' now."

John sighed at Dwayne, and put the gun he had back in the case. "Don't lose focus now. We're not done yet."

"Are you sure this is the place?"

John raised the photo of the inn and compared it to the building they were observing. "Yeah, this is it" he growled. "That's half the operation over with. Now we wait."

"For?"

"You didn't pay any attention during the briefing, did you?"

"Nope. That's why I always get a partner to pay attention for me. It's easier, plus I ain't exactly best pals with the Captain…"

"You really are a dumbass, Dwayne. I'll make sure this conversation reaches Cross."

"Man, why you always gotta be so fuckin' deliberate? I can't say one fuckin' thing without some depressed asshole wanting to nail my ass to the wall and leave me to die. I ain't exactly an employee, homie. I only work there 'cos my pals are the higher-ups. Plus I get paid for my freelancin'. You need to ease up, bro."

"Quiet down. I think he's gonna open the door now."

As Lucy waited for the door to slide open, paranoia started getting to her. Does she still have a place here, or will he chase her away? Was what happened that night, meaningless? _I shouldn't have come back…_ She thought. _I shouldn't have lived in the first place… _She heard the door slide open, followed by a gasp from the person in front of her, but she didn't dare look up. What if – her thought was interrupted when she felt someone embrace her. Her paranoia was instantly cut short, and she returned the embrace, her heart beating as fast as it had thet night on the steps. "I've missed you," Kouta spoke, happiness and tears evident in his voice, "we all have. Welcome home, Lucy." Welcome home. Those words finally assured her that her doubts were all for nothing. She had a family, a home, and she was loved. This revelation, no matter how obvious it was in the past, caused tears to stream down her pale cheeks once again. "Come on. We need to get you cleaned up." Kouta said, as he broke the embrace and took her hand, leading her inside. "Besides, I think everyone would like to see you again."

"Mission complete." John said, as the door to the inn slid closed. As he attempted to take something from the inside of his coat, he heard a sniff beside him. He looked up, and saw Dwayne's eyes were starting to sparkle. "What the hell are you crying about now?"

"Ey, screw you man, I only got somethin' in my eye. It's the allergies, man. I dunno what the fuck chicks see in that cologne of yours. It stinks of donkey balls."

"And of course someone like you would know that scent all too well. Seriously, that was weak. No wonder your boys left you on the streets."

"Don't make me start fuckin' with your past now, Beastie. We all know what you got up to in 'Hell'. And we all know how you got them fucked up eyes. Them shades ain't helping you one bit."

"Your "shocking" personality doesn't do you much good either. You're weak. Even Dana can get the upper hand in a fight against you, and she's just a trigger happy bitch. Cross has only got himself an assload of knowledge on weapons and warfare, and you suffer a cardiac arrest every time you see him. Think carefully before you try to react to that."

"Asshole."

"Pussy" John growled as he took a small radio from his coat. "Captain, this is Beast."

A harsh voice came from the radio: "Report. Is Lucy safe?"

"Yes sir. Took her long enough to get here though."

"Just another day at the office, Beast. What's her condition?"

"Like you said, sir, one shot to her right shoulder and three to her left leg, but nothing critical. She seemed tired, and I think the blast on the bridge may have given her a light concussion. If I may ask, sir what was that?"

"That was one of our air-to-ground bombers. We had one of our snipers paint the bridge with a laser, and then the bomber launched a laser guided missile. But that's not of importance now. Tell Dwayne to report to HQ for his reward. I'll inform the sniper to move to another position and monitor the house."

"Do you really think that's necessary, Captain?"

"Definitely. We got new info on Director Kakuzawa, and judging by what we know now, he's definitely not done with Lucy yet. Return to the base. We have a new assignment for you, Beast."

"Yes sir." As light static started to emit from the radio, John turned it off and placed it back in his coat.

"I thought bossman Mercer was the only one who called you Beast?" Dwayne inquired with a smug expression on his features.

"And I thought _he_ was the only one who called _you_ a dumbass, but it seems I was wrong." John shot back, starting the car again and accelerating down the street, away from the house. "You may as well sit tight, Dwayne."

"What the fuck for?"

"Cross may have said the mission is complete, but I have a feeling this operation is far from over" John replied in a growl, as the inn slowly faded from the rear-view mirror.

* * *

Kouta and Lucy stopped short of the old grandfather clock, which was surprisingly working. "I don't know how it started working. It was broken for a long time. Somehow, you fixed it." Kouta told Lucy, smiling for the first time in four days. Lucy, still dazed by his reaction, found herself unable to do anything but return the smile weakly. "Yuka!" he called.

"What? Who was at the door?" came a voice from further down the hallway. "Do we have visitors?"

"Come see for yourself."

As she emerged from the room, she saw Lucy by Kouta's side. "Nyuu! You're back!" she exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

Lucy made an effort to explain, but the throbbing pain in her head, where her horn had been, was distracting her from actually making any sense. "I…" she started, but was cut short by two heads peeking around the wall into the hallway. "Lucy!" Mayu cheered as she popped into sight, with Nana not far behind, some food still stuck to her cheeks. "What's going on, Mayu?" the little Diclonius girl asked. Then she saw Lucy. However, Yuka intervened before Nana could manage to react to the sight she just saw. "Why don't you two…uh…go feed Wanta? He must be real hungry. You should play with him as well, I'm sure he'd enjoy it. Besides, I think Nyuu might be a bit tired right now, aren't you?" she said. Lucy could only nod in agreement, and with a look of annoyance on their faces, they left the hall. Then Kouta spoke up: "Uh, Yuka, could I ask you a favour?"

"Of course, what is it."

"I want to get Lucy cleaned up so she can rest. Could you perhaps bring some towels and disinfectant to the bathroom?"

"Sure. Take her to the bathroom, I'll be there in a minute." She turned and started gathering bandages for Lucy's injuries, while Kouta guided her to the bathroom. During her search, Yuka started thinking about how life at the inn would be now. _I know I don't have a chance with him. I finally saw that these past few days. He almost never smiled since he came back that night, always listened to the tune that box played. It broke me to see him like that, and I'm sure it had the same effect on Nana and Mayu. He was always the strong one, or at least he tried to be. But when he came back... He wouldn't admit it, but I could see he had been crying. And now she's back, and he's smiling again. Why do I hate seeing them together? I even get tense when Mayu or Nana get too close to him_. She finally finished collecting enough bandages for Lucy's wounds, and with the bottle of disinfectant in hand, she started walking towards the bathroom. _I need help…_ she thought to herself.

As she stepped into the bathroom, she saw Lucy laying in the bath, seemingly asleep. Kouta apparently laid her in the water with her clothes on. Her wounds slightly tinted the water with red, and she was quivering slightly. Kouta was busy cleaning the wounds on her head, where her horns usually protruded through her crimson hair. _I wonder how that happened…_

"Great, you're here. Could you help me with her wounds? It'll get done faster that way." Kouta asked her.

"Okay, sure. Where should I start?"

"I'm trying to stop the bleeding on her head. See what you can do about the wound on her shoulder." While he was working on the wounds where her horns once were, he couldn't help but feel grateful that she returned. Since he came back that night, he constantly hoped she survived and that she would come back. But three days passed without any sign of her, and he slowly started to lose hope. But then he heard Wanta's barking, and his hope returned. As he walked towards the door, he silently prayed that it would be her. As he neared the inn's front door, the old grandfather clock, the one Nyuu had disassembled and reassembled countless times, sprung to life, ticking away like it was never broken. "It's…working" he said to himself. He turned his attention to the door, and he saw the silhouette of a woman standing there. _It's you…_ he thought, as he rushed to open the door. As he prepared to open it, however, fear overtook him. _What if it's not her?_ He thought. _Well, only one way to find out_. He pulled the door open, and gazed upon the woman he was praying to see.

Yuka, on the other hand, had entirely different thoughts flying through her mind. _This isn't right. This can't be right. I shouldn't be helping her. She took him from me_! And yet, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Nyuu. She always brought a happy aura on in the house, and everyone liked her. Even Yuka, although just a bit. Nana had explained the story of Lucy to them one night, and the only reasonable answer they could come up with was a split personality. She knew the difference between Lucy and Nyuu. But she refused to admit that it was Lucy lying there. Lucy was the intelligent persona; she could speak, think and, much to Yuka's dismay, return Kouta's feelings. Nyuu could only say one word, and had the IQ of a 6 month old baby. No, Yuka refused to admit that Kouta loved both Lucy and Nyuu. She always kept hoping that Kouta would look at her the way he looked at them. Admitting that Lucy was there would shatter each of her dreams, and destroy all of her hopes.

No. This was Nyuu. She refused to think otherwise. It had to be, for her sake…"Okay, we're done!" Kouta explained shakily. Seeing blood after what he witnessed as a child, and that night on the bridge, was bad enough. Seeing it on the woman he loved… he could describe the feeling. "We ought to get her to bed so she can rest. I have one favour left to ask you before we do, though."

"What do you need?"

"Well, I had to put her in the bath with her clothes on, so now they're bloody and wet. Could you help her change into something else? I don't want to risk you hitting me again…"

"Oh. Okay. Uh…well, you'll have to leave the room if that's gonna happen." Yuka answered with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Right. Let me know when you're done, okay?

"Sure. Meanwhile, you should tell Mayu and Nana to come in. Tell them to go get some supplies from the café."

As Kouta stalked off, Yuka forced a positive thought into her head: _It really is good to have you back…Nyuu…_

* * *

Somewhere far from the inn, a man in his late-thirties was overseeing a squad of soldiers busy honing their combat skills. In frustration, he ran his hand through his dark brown hair, along the white streak in the middle. Newbies, or greenhorns, weren't exactly easy to cope with. He was the only one stern enough to make sure they reach their maximum potential. He knew better than anyone that a soldier must give one hundred per cent in combat. Anything less was unacceptable, especially to the organisation he was working for.

"Davis! Pull your finger out and get moving!" he yelled at the disoriented team in the training room he was observing. "Jackson, throw the goddamn grenade, not the pin! Price, I see you pretending to shoot with one arm, get your ass in gear and fight like a man! Gibson, quit hiding, you useless sack of shit!"

Yes, teaching these useless layabouts was an exhausting job, definitely not one a specialist of his stature should be doing. "Fuck this, you're all useless! Go ask your boyfriends to teach you how to be men before you come back next time! Now get out of my sight!!!" he screamed at the now terrified recruit's below him. "Jesus, they're not paying me enough to put up with this shit." he muttered to himself as he left the observation room.

As he entered the briefing room, he saw the people he had requested were already seated behind some of the computers they used to brief the strike teams they sent into the field. The men immediately stood up. One had quite long, untidy hair constantly falling in front of his black shades, with a beard that resembled badasses from action movies, and he was somewhere in his late thirties. He was wearing a long black trenchcoat, and he spoke in a low growl.

"Sir."

"At ease, Beast." The man responded. He turned to the other person, an African American male in his early thirties, dressed like any American gangster would be dressed. He had a leather jacket covering a white t-shirt, and the normal gangster-like cargo pants. He was bald, with a tattoo covering most of his head, and he also had a beard that looked like a biker's. "You're just a freelancer, Dwayne. Sit down."

"You asked for us, Captain?" the man called Beast inquired.

"Yes, I did. We just got a report from the sniper I posted on lookout duty. Lucy is in better condition, she is being nursed back to health at the inn. I still haven't managed to contact Alex, Dana is trying now. But I have a bit of news, and an offer for Dwayne."

"What, you actually gonna try offerin' me somethin'? What's the catch?" Dwayne responded.

"You'll hear soon enough. Beast," he addressed while turning to the man Dwayne had addressed as John, "you're going back onto the field. Dwayne, while you were out watching over Lucy, Alex told me to make you an employment offer."

"What the fuck? A'ight, lemme tell you, no amount of cash whatso – "

"Five times your normal rate," the Captain interrupted Dwayne, "if you decide to accept Alex's offer of becoming one of our commandos."

"Homie, you got yourself a done deal!" Dwayne excitedly replied.

"Good. Now, on to business. Alex has finally figured out a way to "cure" the Diclonius and Genocide Angels GenTek are creating. He will explain everything in detail once he gets back. You two are our best commandos as of now. We have gotten reports that GenTek have a small outpost near the Yokohama Docks. They're keeping two young Diclonii there, doing the same experiments they did to Lucy. We managed to get our hands on the blueprints of the office building they're using as a front." the Captain confidently spoke while holding up a blue USB. "Dana is going to take 1st Force Recon to try and rescue the Diclonii. Alpha team will launch a forward assault on the building. That's where you're needed here, Beast. Alpha only consists of four people, and we have a confirmed forty-two guards here."

"How exactly do I fit into the plan?"

"You are going to use your 'disability', as you call it, to assist them. While you and Alpha team create the diversion, Dwayne will go behind the building with Delta Team to use the back entrance and sneak in. They will make their way to the computer room. We have confirmed that the two Diclonii are kept on the top two floors. Once Dwayne and Delta are in the computer room, they will hack the system and manually lock down the blast doors that lead to the top floors. Am I clear so far?"

"Crystal. So this is just search and rescue? No nasty surprises waiting on me and Delta?" Dwayne responded.

"No. Back to the plan, once the blast doors are sealed, Dwayne will use his ability to fry the electronics in the building so the doors can't open again. The ventilation systems on the top floors are huge, they have to be. They're fitted with special filters to contain the Diclonius virus. Once all the electronics are fried, Dana will take Echo team and start moving towards the rooms where the Diclonii are kept. They will enter and exit through the ventilation systems, and will need a time window of about half an hour. Dwayne, once you and Delta have done your part, you will go assist Beast and Alpha team at the main lobby. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" both of the men replied loudly.

"Good. Just one last thing, John. You know half of Alpha are mainly Spec Ops. Useless when it comes to the real deal. So, Alex decided to team you up with a new partner. One who actually knows what she's doing."

"She? Sir, seriously, how many women who can't hold their own have been in Blackwatch? And how many have survived? How do I even know I'll get along with this chick?"

"Trust me, John, you'll like this one very much. She can be a real… how to say… Angel at times." Cross replied with a sly smirk on his face. Dwayne started to laugh when he saw John's reaction to this.

"Sir, you can't be serious!"

"I know you and Jo aren't exactly best of friends, but the situation called for drastic measures. Second and Third Force Recon are all in the field, and Bravo and Charlie teams are returning from Tokyo. We had no other alternative. Make no mistake, you're a potent fighter, especially when you become a real "Beast" but sending four spec-ops soldiers to face about twenty guards at a time –"

"They knew what they were signing up for!" John said loudly. "Do you even know what you're asking me to do?!? You want me to fight beside my enemy because four dumbasses can't aim for sh-"

"I'm not asking you, John." Cross cut him off, with a cold voice. "I'm ordering you to do it. You knew what you were signing up for as well. You knew this job would require judgement calls later. You know as well as I do you two have a lot in common. So quit whining about what happened three years ago! Let bygones be bygones. I thought you had better standards than that…"

John lowered his head so his fringe fell over his shades. A glint of red could be seen during this process. "My apologies, sir."

"Can we trust you to see that this operation goes smoothly, Beast?"

'Yes, sir."

"Good. Wheels up at 07h00. Dismissed."

As the two commandos left the room, Cross grabbed his radio and spoke: "Team One, report."

"No intruders so far, Captain." came the reply. "Sniper Team Two is setting up as we speak. We also set up the equipment to monitor the information GenTek acquire using the various bugs in the inn."

"Good. As you were, soldier" he replied as he returned his radio to the holster in his belt. As he did so, the intercom sounded:

"Captain Cross, report to the communications tower. Repeat, Captain Cross, report to the communications tower."

"I heard you the first time, dammit." Cross muttered.

* * *

As he entered the room at the top of the tower, a young woman in her mid-twenties turned to him. She had shoulder length brown hair, and was still in the clothes and armour the Recon teams normally use.

"If I may ask, Dana, what is so damn important that is has to be repeated twice?" Cross inquired.

"I've managed to get through to Alex." she replied, motioning for him to go to the radio. "He's waiting for a report on the mission he gave Dwayne and Jonathan."

Cross walked over to one of the radios, and spoke into to mouthpiece:

"Sir, reporting for duty."

"At ease, Captain." came a voice from the radio. This voice was different. It still resembled a human's, but it was not normal. It was lacking a sign of emotion, of humanity. Any normal person would describe the voice as _dead_ or _lifeless_. "I understand Dwayne and Jonathan finished the mission I gave them?"

"Yes sir, Lucy is back at that house and the inhabitants are taking good care of her. How did your mission go, sir?"

"A waste of time, like the rest. Have you briefed the two commandos on their next mission?"

"Yes sir. They're moving out now."

"Good. I have a new assignment for you."

"Yes, sir?"

"The memories of these guards confirm that a Genocide Angel has escaped and is residing somewhere near Tokyo. Go find her, and bring her to the HQ. Take a squad of our veterans just in case. She seems to be very proficient in close-quarter combat."

"Maria?"

"No," the man named Alex replied. "She died after escaping that facility. Lost too much blood. This one is different, younger than the rest, not to mention more innocent than the rest. Now move out."

"Understood, sir." Cross replied as he stood up and started preparing for the mission ahead.

* * *

On the other side of the radio, somewhere near the outskirts of Kamakura, a man stood in the middle of what looked like a massacre. This man had crystal blue eyes, and a face that showed no humanity. He was wearing an old pair of jeans, with black leather shoes, and a white hooded shirt covered by a brown leather jacket with a red tribal sign on the back.

In his one hand he held a radio, but his other hand was something that would instil fear in even the most combat-hardened soldier. From the wrist down, the hand was black and cold. This hand had four fingers, with a long, curved, blade-like claw extending from where the fingers should start.

The clawed hand erupted in a swarming mass of black and red, and within a second, it was human again. In the other hand, the same mass extended and engulfed the radio, making it disappear. As the blood of the slaughtered bodies around him started to pool at his feet, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a photo, with a small note attached to the back.

On the photo was a man in what looked like the outfit of a U.S Marine. His hair was shaved short, and he had light stubble with green eyes. Next to him was a Japanese woman, with clear skin, brown eyes and waist length black hair. They were both smiling. And in front of them, was a young girl, about eight or nine years of age. She had short, crimson hair, red eyes and two small horns on her head. She was smiling. As the man observed this photo, the wind blew the back of his jacket up, revealing a holster with a gun. This wasn't an ordinary gun. It was solid gold, with black leather around the handle. A Japanese inscription was etched into the side of the gun, and it was filled with a black paint. It read "Lucy". As he put the photo back in his jacket, the man looked up, and said in a dead voice:

"I made you two a promise. And I will see to it that it's kept."

* * *

A/ N: Love it? Hate it? Wanna burn it? Think it's too much? Please, bros, let me know through reviews. I'll try to update every second week if this story does well. This is, after all, my first attempt. Hope you enjoyed.

Cheers!

--Slipkn0T--


	2. 2 Blackwatch Comes To Light

A/N: Ah, finally, the not-so-long awaited second chapter. Terribly sorry I took so long with this one, my PC gave in and I needed to reinstall Windows. Sucks to be me. Anyhow, here's Chapter 2. Thanks to the guys who reviewed and kept me going. But seriously, three reviews per chapter aren't going to make me work any faster…

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 2 – Blackwatch comes to light

The early morning sun dawned on the inn, shining through its windows and casting light into every room and hallway it had. In one of these rooms, and young woman lay in her futon, with a young college student seated beside her. Kouta had sat up through the entire night, beside the unconscious Diclonius in the event that she should awaken. He would show her that he would be there for her, no matter what.

"Kouta!" a voice came from the hall. "Kouta, get over here!"

_Yuka,_ he thought. _Might as well go see what she wants_. As he stepped into the hall, Yuka greeted him in her normal manner and informed him that she was going shopping for supplies. "Nana and Mayu will be sleeping late today. They're so naïve, when we told them to go play with Wanta; they actually played until we called. Remember, the bathroom needs to be cleaned today."

"I know. I'll get to it, don't worry."

"Okay, bye. See you later." and with that Yuka went off. _I hate these chores,_ Kouta thought. _With all the extra residents, it's even harder than when it was just me._

As he turned and went into the inn, about seven hundred feet way, a man residing atop a building trained his rifle on him, and observed him until he was out of sight. When he could not see Kouta anymore, he pulled his eye from the scope of his rifle and raised his binoculars.

Kouta returned to Lucy's room, to find that she had rolled onto her side, and was laying with the covers pulled up to her chin, slowly mumbling inaudible words and occasionally wincing when she moved too fast. Before he could observe any further, he heard light footsteps in the hall, and went to see who it was. "Morning, Mayu." he said after finding out.

"Morning Kouta" she replied, still a bit out of it.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes thanks. And you?" she inquired. "You stayed up all night didn't you?"

"Well, yeah…" he responded, slightly blushing. "Is Nana awake yet?"

"We could go wake her, but she was very tired last night." Mayu responded with a slight smile. "She was still snoring when I woke up."

"Rather not" Kouta said, not wanting one of Nana's pouting sessions to begin. "It'll just upset her." It really amazed him how much Mayu had opened up since she started living with them. She wasn't the shy little girl she was when they found her.

"Where's Yuka?" Mayu suddenly asked, snapping Kouta out of his trance.

"Gone shopping. As always."

"Oh well. I'll get started on breakfast. Should I set a place for Nyuu too?"

"Well…why not? She might wake up. Yuka should be back by the time you're done, too. I'll get started on the cleaning in the meantime."

And with that, he gave Lucy one glance, smiled, and went off to start maintenance.

* * *

Somewhere near the coast of Kamakura, some 4000 miles to its south-east, a small chopper was touching down on one of the five landing bays of a somewhat strange facility. It resembled a small island, but one would see it was something else entirely if they got a bit closer. Several dozens of radio towers and satellite dishes protruded from the central building, which seemed like a bigger version of the Pentagon, with various smaller (although still big) buildings surrounding it. About five of the buildings near the side of this "island" looked like rather huge factories, and were surrounded by various armoured cars and tanks. Further on was a giant tower, with satellite dishes of various sizes protruding from the top. This tower overlooked five aircraft runways, and about ten hangars. And at each of the five corners of this facility, were landing bays for helicopters, each about as big as a state park.

The small chopper had finally landed on the Northern landing bay, and the door slid open. First to exit were three men, donning suit's that made them seem near-futuristic. Their faces were hidden by a balaclava, which in turn was covered by a gas mask, tactical assault helmet and what seemed to be nightvision goggles. These three men were equipped with weaponry and tactical equipment of the highest standard, and it would be obvious that they were armed and ready for _anything_. Next to exit the chopper was the man known as Captain Cross, donning camo cargo pants and a similar themed jacket. In one hand, he carried a very unique stun baton, and a prototype grenade launcher was mounted on his other arm. He then holstered his baton, and extended his arm toward the chopper door, holding out his hand in the process, which was taken by the next person exiting the chopper. It was a young girl, about 11 in age, with platinum blonde hair and emerald green eyes. She had a glowing silver tattoo snaking down her neck, going under her tank top and ending near the bottom half of her exposed stomach. She was also donning Captain Cross' trench coat, to protect against the cold.

"This way to the hospital, miss." Cross informed the young girl, motioning with his head towards a big, rather tall building about a quarter mile to their east.

"Are you sure this guy knows what's wrong with me?" the young girl innocently inquired. "This thing is shining again and I don't know how to stop it." She whined while stroking the silver tattoo.

"I assure you, miss, Dr. Mercer is the best in nearly every medical field known to man. It took him a long time to… 'Obtain' his knowledge, but I swear he has every right to call himself a professional now. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"You say those other men will stop chasing me if Dr. Mercer helps me?"

"I promise you. Anyone who still does will have to deal with this small army." He said, motioning to their surroundings with his arm.

"Alright then, let's go!" the young girl optimistically cried as she surprisingly started pulling the Captain towards the hospital.

_Jeez,_ the Captain thought, _I've never seen anyone so excited about going to the doctor. GenTek really did fuck these girls up badly…_

* * *

"Put her in one of the private wards, and make sure she all her needs are tended to until Dr. Mercer arrives." Cross ordered the staff of the hospital building. He then turned to the girl and said: "It'll take about two days for Dr. Mercer to get here. He has some errands to do, but I've taken the liberty of placing you in one of our V.I.P wards until then. You're also free to go down to the park behind the hospital, as well as the cafeteria here. But, I'll need you to wear this if you do" he finished his sentence by hanging a small necklace around her neck, with a small flashing light on it.

"What this, captain?" the girl asked, eying the glowing light curiously while rolling it between her fingers.

"It's a tracker, so we know where you are when Dr. Mercer arrives." he said. He stood up releasing the young girl's hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I also have some business to attend to. But I promise I'll come and check in on you regularly, okay?"

"Okay!" the young girl enthusiastically cried. "Bye, Captain! See you later!"

With her last sentence, Captain Cross turned around, with a light smile on his face. "Just one last thing" he said. "You're not a soldier here. You don't need to call me Captain."

"Then what do I call you?" the young girl asked with a puzzled look on her face. "What's your name?"

"My name's Robert" he replied. "What's yours?"

"I don't really know." the girl replied with a slight blush. "Those other men just called me something to do with thirteen, but I don't know what."

_Project Genocide, Specimen 13,_ Cross thought, with a slight twitch in his left eye. _Eleven years old and she already gave my men a fair run for their money, and they're all experts. I should thank God they didn't make her fight for her survival yet. If she went through that, she'd have been like Maria. She doesn't know how to kill yet, and as Alex said, we'll see to it that it stays that way..._ "Well, I guess we'll have to find you one when I get back, eh?" he said.

"Okay!" the young Angel replied excitedly.

"But I really need to go now. I'll see you later, okay?" he stated with a slight smile.

"Okay. Bye, Robert!" the young girl said happily.

As Cross left the ward, he heard the young Angel start a conversation with some of the hospital staff, and as the door closed, he heard her giggle. _Fucking monsters, _he thought,_ the whole lot of them. I can see why Alex gave his life to stop them from using the original virus. If we had a hundred of him walking around… damn. _

Suddenly, the intercom sounded: "Captain Cross, report to Landing Bay One. I repeat, Captain Cross, you are urgently needed at Landing Bay One."

_Ah fuck. What now?_

**-------------------------------**_**THREE HOURS LATER------------------------------**_

_Goddammit! _

Cross was pacing back and forth in one of the briefing rooms, eyes mad with anger. His hand was bleeding after hitting the two way mirror.

_Graves… I swear to God, if I find you… I'll kill you with my bare hands…_

A brief static started emanating from his radio, followed by the same emotionless voice from earlier. "Cross. Report. What happened?"

"Alex…I mean, sir… Marcus Graves betrayed us." Cross responded. "He sold us out to GenTek. Sir, they sent reinforcements. He's one of them, sir. He works for GenTek."

"Casualties?"

"We nearly lost Jo and Dwayne, and Alpha and Bravo are all dead, sir."

"Graves? Dana? What about Echo and the Diclonii?"

"Graves got away. Dana and Echo Team are fine. Just a bit shaken. As for the Diclonii…"

"Speak up, Robert."

"They're both wounded. One of them, fatally." Cross replied, sighing.

"Can the staff take care of them, or do I need to return?"

"They're being operated on as we speak, sir. I gave the order to start."

"Good. I expect a full debriefing report when I get back. Is that clear?"

"Crystal, sir."

"Good."

The static stopped, and Cross returned the radio to its holster on his belt. Somewhere else, near the east section of Kamakura, the remains of a radio fell to the ground. Alex Mercer looked down from the skyscraper he stood atop. _Kakuzawa…_he thought. _You've gone too far. First you steal my work. Then you take the life of my friends. And now I find you're bribing my men, and killing people off for your own desire to be God. Enough is enough._ He kneeled, and jumped, from one skyscraper to another at amazing heights and speeds, close to a superhuman level, cracking the floors he hit as he landed. After landing on the last, he took off, running at the speed of a small vehicle, gradually going faster each second. As he jumped off the building and started falling towards the ground, he flipped, and propelled himself to the earth below at an unimaginable speed, where what seemed to be a normal truck convoy driving up the highway, with a jeep leading the pack.

_This was personal since day one, Kakuzawa._ As he came closer to the convoy at unimaginable speed, a last thought escaped before the massacre below would occur: _I will make you pay._

* * *

_What is this?_

_Where am I?_

_Who is that?_

Questions plagued Lucy's mind as she looked down on an image she vaguely remembered. The majority of the faces and bodies of other people were blurred out. The only one that wasn't, was a small girl, about four years old. She had red eyes and crimson hair, with two horns protruding through it.

_Is that…me?_

A slur of static sounded from one of the figures, and the young Diclonius looked up. Her eyes went soft, before a look of happiness took over her features. Smiling broadly, she exclaimed: "Dad!"

_What?!?_

The shock caused Lucy to open her eyes, as she rocketed into a sitting position in the futon she was occupying. _Where am I?_ She observed the room around her, and recognised it almost immediately. _I-I'm…back…_she thought. _How did I get here? _She tried to remember as flashes from the previous day entered her mind. The explosion, the journey to the inn, Kouta meeting her at the door, and after that…nothing. _I guess…I came back…myself._ She suddenly winced at the pain she felt when she moved her leg. _W-What? What happened to me?_ She pulled the covers aside to show her leg, covered in bandages, with small flecks of red tainting the white material. She also noticed her arm in a sling, with bandages covering her shoulder and head.

_Huh? Where…?_

"Hey! You're awake!" A young voice quipped from the door. As she looked up, she saw Nana standing in the doorway, donning her trademark blue dress. "Finally. People have been so sad because you keep sleeping all the time."

"What?" Lucy replied.

"You've been sleeping for three days now. We had to wake you to get you to drink something, but you were…uh…what's the word…"

"Groggy?" another young voice informed Nana, as Mayu also appeared in the doorway. "You didn't register what was going on around you." she said as she smiled at Lucy. "You kept mumbling things we couldn't make out."

"How did I get back here?" Lucy asked with a puzzled expression. "I shouldn't be here…"

"You really don't remember?" Mayu asked. "You got here three days ago. You were in really bad condition." she informed Lucy as a slight frown crossed her features at the thought of the blood Lucy was covered in. "Kouta took you to the bathroom to clean you up, and you just fainted. He's been spending the nights here ever since, staying up until he just couldn't anymore."

"He…what?"

"Did you dream?" Nana suddenly asked with a worried expression on her face.

"How…How did you know?" Lucy asked, a bit shocked.

"You kept speaking to yourself in your sleep. Kouta said you were dreaming."

"You even screamed once or twice." Mayu added. "But Kouta managed to calm you down. Don't know how he did it, though."

"W-where…is he now?" Lucy inquired. She had to know if he was close. If he was, she would have to wait before making a run for it. She didn't deserve to be there, she thought. She was a monster. She killed his family, because she couldn't take one small lie.

"He's out." Nana said. "Gone looking for Yuka."

"She tends to wander around these days." Mayu added. "You should sleep again. You still look tired, and Kouta said you shouldn't move too much while you're injured.

She wanted to argue, but she couldn't deny that fatigue was once again setting in. And the wounds were starting to sting again.

"We'll tell Kouta you were awake." Nana said, another genuine smile crossing her face. "Don't worry."

"O-Okay." Lucy agreed, and laid her head back down against the pillow. _I did so much to her,_ Lucy thought as she watched Nana leave the room with Mayu, _and still she treats me like she would anyone else. Why? Everyone treats me like this here._ She slowly laid back down on her futon. _No doubt they know what I did… Why do they care for me like this?_

She quickly glanced out the window, observing the blossoms floating past it in the breeze. _I can't stay here,_ she thought, _but I can't go anywhere either now. I can hardly move, it hurts too much._ She looked at the ceiling, quickly closing her eyes when a shadow appeared in the hall, pretending to be asleep. _I need to get out of here, first chance I get. I don't want those people harming my family too…_

Lucy's eyes shot open in shock. "Family…" She muttered softly. _I actually see them as my family now…_ She glanced at the door when she heard Kouta's voice.

"Is she awake yet?"

"She did wake up earlier." She heard Mayu reply. "But she went back to sleep."

"How was she?" Kouta asked.

"She's still a bit out of it." Mayu answered. "She didn't know where she was when she woke up."

Lucy shut her eyes again as she heard footsteps coming up the passage. She heard her door slide open. It felt like Kouta was watching her. Then she heard the door slide closed again, and the footsteps went further up the hall. Lucy dared to open her eyes again, and surprisingly found that she was crying softly. _No… I can't cry now…_ She thought fiercely, wiping her tears away. _If he sees me like this, he'll know I'm awake. And I can't face him. Not yet…_ She opened her eyes again, and gasped loudly as her eyes widened.

She saw a glint in the window of a tall building. Almost like the sun was reflecting off something… Like a rifle's scope, like the ones she saw at the facility. She instinctively raised her vectors to shield her, and waited for the shot…

But no sound came. No bullet shattered the window. And the glint had disappeared. _What in the…_ Lucy's thoughts were cut off when she heard footsteps coming down the passage again. She quickly rolled around, and held her breath as she waited for the footsteps to disappear again. When they were gone, she opened her eyes again and glanced at the tall building again. No glint.

Lucy grimaced. _I'm letting this get to me… _She thought, recollecting herself. _There's no one there…_ She glanced at the door. _At least, I hope there's no one there…_

-----------------------------------_**EARLIER THAT DAY**_--------------------------------

Thunder roared across the dark skies over Yokohama harbour, and rain heavily collided with the two rotors spinning at an awe-inspiring speed, driving the helicopter forward towards the Room building, two others following shortly.

John "Beast" Steele turned his sinister red eyes from his surroundings, and focused on the team prepared to storm the building. The four operatives were fairly prepped, but it still would not do the job a frontline assault team would. One of the soldiers leaned forward and called John's attention. Slowly, he edged forward in his seat.

"What?" He growled lowly. The soldier beckoned to the side hatch with his head, where a young girl sat. This girl had silver hair, red eyes, tan skin and apparel that hardly suited the mission at hand, consisting of a tank top, shorts and a red bomber jacket. A pair of Desert Eagle handguns were holstered in leather chaps strapped around her legs.

"Fancy you being paired with your rival…" The soldier grinned widely through his balaclava, making the straps of his helm stretch audibly. "This makes how many times now?" He mocked. "If I didn't know any be-gragh!" The soldier was cut off as John took hold his jaw with an iron grip, and started squeezing. The other three soldiers immediately tried to protest, but the tan girl at the hatch merely looked away.

"But you don't know any better." John growled angrily. "And next time you act as if you do," He tightened his grip around the man's jaw, "I'll break this and rip it off. Clear?" The man only nodded. With one move, John threw the soldier back into his seat.

"If you are done now, could you stop your shit and listen up?" The squad leader said irately. "We're getting close now, you know." John only fixed a glare at him. "Good." The leader said harshly. "Now, you all know the drill. John, you and Jo go… Jo? Oi, Jo!" The captain called at the younger girl. She slowly turned her attention to him, revealing a glowing, purple tattoo on her left arm and shoulder. "I know you're not keen on working with John," The squad leader said seriously, "But please try to listen up. We need to work with a plan here." John snorted.

"Plan. Right…" He smiled sinisterly. "Due respect, captain, but you and your team and practically wimps." The captain grimaced at his words. "You're not outfitted for a mission like this. So I'll give you a plan…" He said as he held up his hand. The team gasped as his nails extended into claws. "You've all heard what I am. Bullets can't hurt me. So you dickwads stay behind cover and let me take care of the assholes." He grinned, revealing an elongated canine similar to a fang. "If you don't… Well, I'm sure not carrying your body back to the base."

"Alright, boys." The pilot called their attention. "We're almost there! E.T.A one minute." John grinned as he took hold of the handle of his knife. _Let's do this…_ Suddenly, a loud _**bang**_ came from outside the chopper.

"Holy shit!" One of the soldier cried, looking out of a port-hole. "Bravo's chopper just went down!" He glanced around the ground again. Then the pilot yelled.

"RPG! HOLD ON!"

_**BANG!!!**_

---------------------------_**------------END FLASHBACK**_----------------------------------

John shook those memories from his head, before turning up the stairs. _God, that was a nasty surprise. I hope Cross finds Graves and eats his soul. Never trusted that piece of shit. His reputation was too good to be true._ He came to a halt in front of the door he was looking for. Captain Cross had informed him to report to the briefing room. _Damn. What the fuck did I do now?_ He thought as he hit the buzzer near the frame of the door. In a fluid motion, the door moved back a bit, and then slid to the right until the doorway was entirely revealed. He walked in, and saw Cross standing in front of a blackboard with numerous strategies and battle plans drawn out on it. "Sir." he addressed him.

"At ease, Beast." Cross replied. "Take a seat."

"Yes sir." He slid one of the chairs back, and sat down.

"I hear from Dana that you were the one who got the remaining soldiers to safety."

"Only two. The rest died before the evac chopper came, sir. How are the survivors?"

"The Diclonii were injured. One of them is sitting with a punctured lung, but she'll live. The other only took a few bullets."

"What about Dana? And Echo Team?"

"Dana is fine, just a bit shaken. Echo Team lost their sniper and their two demolitions experts in Intensive Care. Alex doesn't know yet."

"He's gonna blow his top. What about The Dumbass?"

"Heh. You know him. Always laughing his injuries off. Once a gangster…"

"Always a gangster. I warned him not to try and show off."

A deathly silence followed for a few seconds, before Cross decided to break it. "Jo is doing okay too." he said as he saw John's shoulders tense, and his fringe falling further in front of his eyes.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted." Cross replied, amused.

"Why the _fuck _should I care about how she's doing?" John asked, with a cold voice.

Cross smiled at this. "If you don't care, why did you save her?"

John looked up, his red and black eyes staring point-blank at Cross' green ones, and he said in the same cold voice: "If _anyone_ is going to kill that bitch… it'll be me. I just need the right… push."

"… Why won't you let go of the past, John?" Cross inquired, an earnest expression on his face. "We're talking about something that happened three years ago. Your hate is affecting your performance as a commando. You're always trying to outscore her, and it's costs us a lot more than just a soldier's life once and again." He remained quiet for a while, before stating: "Alex never told me why you two are so hostile to each other. Why is that?"

However, before John could speak, a cold, emotionless voice came from the doorway. "That's still a hard chapter of his life, Captain." Alex Mercer entered the room with a look of indifference on his face. "We have other problems now."

"Sir?" Cross replied.

"What's going on, Alex?" John inquired.

"I doubt it's something you _care_ about, John." Alex replied, before turning back to Cross. "You need to contact Meg and tell her to get here. As fast as possible."

Cross nodded, understanding where the conversation was going. He turned to John. "You're dismissed, John. We'll continue this conversation later."

"Sir." John nodded before leaving the Room. When he was gone, Alex took a seat in front of Cross. "You know what Jo was put through during her stay at GenTek, right?"

"Yes sir." Cross responded. "I can also guess it involved lots of machines and lots of pain."

"Exactly. Now, Jo has been regaining consciousness for brief moments while in I.C.U, and it doesn't look like the life support is bringing back pleasant memories. The morphine will wear off soon, and then it's mere hours before she regains full consciousness."

"Where is this going?"

"If my thoughts are correct, she's going to freak when she sees the machines. We need someone who can calm her down in case that happens. She can't afford to go screaming and flailing while on those machines. They're not exactly going to be necessary for long, but still. It's best if we inform Meg and the others. She'll be looking for them when she wakes up."

"Sir." Cross nodded, before turning to the intercom, holding in the red button and speaking into the mic: "Dwayne, get your ass into my Room. Now." Then turned back to Alex. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"You know you don't need to ask that, Robert." Alex replied.

"I really can't picture Jo as the type to scream and flail. She's…uh…not exactly the most _feminine_ woman on earth."

"I get your point, Cross. But remember, we said the same about John once, and that cost us a new I.C.U ward. With Jo…well, you said yourself she's not very feminine. That's surely not a woman's strength she's bragging with."

"I see…Sir, if I may ask…"

"You called, Cross?" Dwayne appeared in the doorway.

"Yes." Cross replied in annoyance. "First, learn how to use the fucking buzzer. Second, you're an employee now. You refer to me as Sir, no matter what."

"Okay, okay, jeez. Whas' the prob?" Dwayne asked, quickly adding "Sir." to the end of his sentence.

"Get hold of Meg, Sei and Amy." Cross spoke. "Tell them to get here A.S.A.P. Jo needs them."

"Yessir." Dwayne answered before leaving.

Cross quickly turned back to Alex. "I thought you'd be away a bit longer. Dana will be pleased that you're back." He said. "The Diclonii were both rescued, and although they're injured, they're recovering in I.C.U now."

"Good job. I'll see to it that the families of the soldiers who died are contacted." Alex said. "But first, there's something, or some_one_, you should see." He said as he stood up. Cross stood up as well.

"I take it this person has something to do with why you were away?"

"Yes." Alex said. "Call it a favour to a close friend. I owe him this much."

"Where are we heading, sir?" Cross asked.

"The private bunks." Alex said as they exited the briefing room. "She's resting there now, getting the necessary care."

"Is this girl the reason we had to bomb the bridge, instead of you getting Lucy out of there, sir?"

"That's confidential information, Captain." Alex said coldly. "I don't mind you asking, but the walls have ears here. News travels fast, and we don't need the wrong people finding out."

"Are you saying someone's infiltrated Blackwatch?" Cross asked, frowning.

"No." Alex answered. "But people these days are easily misled. Especially by a company like GenTek."

-----------------------------------_**AT THE PRIVATE BUNKS**__------_------------------------

"Sir... How... How is she..." Cross was at a loss for words as he glared at the young girl laying in the bed.

Mariko. Fast asleep, breathing at a steady, almost rhythmic pace.

"I thought she died with Kurama..." Cross turned to Alex. "I saw her explode, sir. Almost all the higher ups did. How..." He glanced back at Mariko, seemingly scratchless.

"Kurama contacted me about an hour before the explosion you saw." Alex said. "Asked me to do him a last favour. He knew he couldn't kill his daughter, so he asked me to finish the job if he couldn't."

"And you didn't... Why?" Cross asked.

"I never planned to kill her. Besides, things went differently than Kurama expected." Alex said blankly. "Instead of getting himself killed, he was reunited with his daughter."

"We saw that." Cross said. "But why isn't she dead?"

"I organised to meet Kurama near the area the explosion took place. Our tech experts put together a puppet that resembled Mariko, able to speak with emotional tones. Luckily, the man who was supposed to detonate the bomb couldn't see the exchange."

"So there was a bomb in the puppet? That was the bomb that exploded?" Cross asked. "Then what about the bomb in her?"

"I used a frequency jammer to stop the bomb from going off. Instead, I detonated the bomb in the puppet the minute our sniper informed me the other scientist detonated the original one."

"So... Kurama really is dead?"

"Yes. Mariko didn't want to hear a word about it. It took quite a few shots of chloroform to knock her out..."

"How long has she been here?"

"Three days." Alex said. "She woke up once, and I gave her a message from her father. Almost like a goodbye. Naturally, she didn't take it too well. But she's brightening up."

Cross thought for a while. "But why are you showing me this?"

"There's a chance Lucy might be coming to the island too." Alex said. "We don't know if her mind has healed or not, so we don't know if she still has multiple personalities. Thus, we don't know how she'll react when she sees Mariko."

"And that's why you recalled me from the field?" Cross asked.

"You know full well you're one of the few people on the facility who can take on both of them at the same time. I need you to be here in case I'm not. Otherwise, there's no telling what might happen..."

* * *

Lucy worriedly paced in her room, eying the building in the distance cautiously every few minutes. _I know someone's there, I just know it..._ She was sweating profusely. Just an hour earlier, she saw the glint again. _If someone's there, it might be..._ Lucy's eyes widened as she felt a familiar tingling sensation at the back of her head. She was sensing another Diclonius.

_Another one!? _She thought as she quickly strode to the window and looked through it. _So far... It's coming from the docks..._ Her eyes widened and she started trembling when the presence grew stronger. _Such power..._ She thought as she backed away. _Just what is this thing!?_ She quickly laid back down on her futon. _I need to stop thinking... That thing might sense me..._ She quickly rolled onto her side, struggling to remain hidden from the intruder late into the night, until sleep finally claimed her.

* * *

Alex Mercer stopped dead in his tracks, clenching his fist as he too felt the familiar presence. _Impossible..._ he thought, glancing in Kamakura's direction. _It's at the docks already!?_ He quickly turned to Cross. "Make sure nothing goes wrong here." He said curtly as he turned at dashed towards one of the helipads before the captain could answer, ignoring any reply shouted after him. _If that thing finds her... No. I won't allow it to get that far..._

"Goddammit." Cross muttered. "Gone again."

"Sir." A soldier clad in white coveralls, military belts and pockets and a balacalva drew his attention. "You might wanna see this..."

"What the hell is that?" Cross asked, pointing at the blue screen.

"We've kept a thermal view over the building the Diclonii were rescued from since the mission went wrong." A young woman with short brown hair said, fiddling with some of the switches on the panel in front of her."

"That heat source is huge..." Cross commented as he watched the large orange dot move around the screen.

"From what we can tell, it's in the basement." The woman said. "We think that's what took out most of the teams when they were downed."

"Could it be a hunter, Dana?" Cross asked the woman.

"No way." Dana said. "Even hunters don't emit heat sources like that. That's gotta be something else entirely."

"A biological anomaly..." He muttered.

"You bet." Dana smirked. "A very big one by the looks of it. And lots of troops to help it."

Cross grinned. "I'll ready the troops."

* * *

Captain Cross stood smiling slightly as he watched the scene before him. Around forty soldiers, each cald in military gear that made them look futuristic, stood before the sergeant, almost chanting as the helicopters approached.

They chanted in a slow, steady, yet very loud pace, their stares locked on the white-clad sergeant standing in front of them. "WHEN WE HUNT, WE KILL! NO ONE IS SAFE! NOTHING IS SACRED! WE ARE BLACKWATCH! WE ARE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENCE! WE WILL BURN OUR OWN TO HOLD THE RED LINE, FOR IT IS THE LAST LINE TO EVER HOLD!"

"You're damn right it is!" The sergeant said loudly. "Especially in this case, ladies and gentleman! We are dealing with an as-of-yet unidentified biological weapon, one that merciliessly slaughtered our comrades!"

"AND IT SHALL DIE!" The soldeirs cried, raising their guns above their head.

"Right you are..." The sergeant said as he started pacing. "Now listen up! Thermal and viral imaging has revealed every living thing within that building is gone, infected with an unnamed virus that reanimates the body once dead. The only way to defeat them in that case, is to pop 'em right in the face." He glanced at the soldiers and crossed his hands behind his back. "Now, Captain Cross has given orders to sweep the building and kill _anything_ that moves, including the bio-weapon. However," He paused and stopped pacing. "A red line has also been set around a hundred-foot radius of the centre of the building. That leaves you about seven feet to kill anything that comes out!"

"NOTHING SHALL CROSS THE REDLINE! NOTHING SHALL SURVIVE!"

"You are also to retrieve the body of the fallen bio-weapon at all costs. GenTek must _not_ be allowed to keep it. And by God, you _will not_ allow it!"

Each soldier raised his rifle and uttered a battle cry. "Now," the sergeant spoke up above the noise. "Get to that building! Sweep it, kill its inhabitants, retrieve the BW and burn it to the ground!"

With a united salute, each soldier filed into the choppers, and after a minute, they took off, heading towards the coast of Kamakura. _Anyone else might see them as freaks..._ Cross thought as he turned around. _But everyone else doesn't know. We are Blackwatch. We keep humanity safe at _all_ costs. Even if it means destroying a nation..._ He glared at Kamakura. _Alex has personal stakes in this as well... But his stakes are our stakes as well. GenTek. They're the ones who make the bio-weapons. They're the ones who try to destroy humanity. _He grinned. _But with Alex on our side, we won't let them succeed. With Alex on our side, __**they can't succeed.**_

* * *

Alex landed on one of the walkways to the docks, cracking the ground in large area. He quickly stood up and scanned his surroundings. The docks were empty. Not a soul in sight. Nothing but blood. Blood everywhere, on the jetties, on the warehouses and even on the smaller fishing trawlers. He quickly found the source: A large tanker with a hole in the side.

As he jumped through, a horrible sight greeted him. There was blood everywhere, deep claw marks often decorating the red walls. Alex grunted. _So... You really are back..._

He grinned as he left the ship. _At least something good will come of this. Now, I get to test how 'supreme' you really are..._

* * *

Some fifty miles away, a man in a ship worker's overalls resided in an alleyway, watching and waiting for some curious passerby to stumble into his hiding place. The man grinned, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, and when he looked up, the light revealed sunken, bloodshot eyes. _You just wait till I find someone to eat..._ The man thought as his hand formed one with three long, bony claws. _Once I do that, little queen, I'll find you. And then... All of humanity shall perish! _

* * *

A/N: Aaand, we're done! Wow, this took a lot of thinking. I hope you guys and girls enjoyed. Please, let me know what you think, and how I can be a better writer. I really need more reviews... It's like food for thought. Once again, sorry for the late update!

Cheers!

-Slipkn0T-


	3. 3 Assault

A/N: Yo! I'm back with yet another chapter. Oddly enough, I'm losing track of when I update… I'll see what I can do about it. I'm chronically ill. The sickness is known as 'laziness' =P

From what I can tell, this story isn't very popular judging by the reviews. But, it's a project I've started, and I intend to see it through, reviews or no. But still, I'd like to send a word of thanks to GuessWho, Taromaru and Francisco Devilman Warrior for reading this fic and leaving me such motivational review. This one's for you guys!

Now, on to the story!

* * *

CHAPTER 3 - ASSAULT

The sun was starting to rise, illuminating Kamakura and bathing its buildings in light. A few rays penetrate the blinds of the small houses, waking people from their slumber.

With an annoyed groan, Lucy pulled the covers up and over her face, trying desperately to banish the light that pulled from her sleep, to no avail. She sat up, flinching again as a small shot of pain surged through her leg. She raised the covers, and saw she still had a bandage around her leg, as well as the sling around her arm. With one hand, she lazily rubbed her eyes and waited for them to adjust to her surroundings. She saw she was still in the same room she was in the day before. _It's not a dream,_ she thought. _I really am back. I know I should go, get out of their lives, but for some reason…I want to stay, too._ Her thoughts were interrupted when the door slid open, and a young, dark-haired boy entered the room. His face lit up when he saw her, and he gave her a smile that made her skip quite a few beats.

"I was hoping you were awake." He stated. "How are you feeling?"

_No! _She thought. _When did he… No! _"Uhh… a bit… better. Thank you." she replied, a bit shy. _What if that man with the gun is still up there!?_

"You were in pretty bad condition when you got here. One minute you were still with us, next…you were out cold. We were all really worried about you."

_After everything, he still cares. How?_ She thought. _I killed his family. Why won't he treat me like I should be treated? Why doesn't he hate me?_ Kouta spoke again. "I was…scared…you wouldn't come back if you survived." he told her as his expression changed to one of worry. "What happened?"

Lucy waited a while before she spoke up. She told him how her other horn got blown off, how she got shot, and then about the explosion on the bridge. This seemed to puzzle Kouta most of all. "An explosion? I didn't hear or see any other helicopters on my way back here. And by your description, it can't be a bomb." He then smiled at her again. "You've gone through a lot to get back here."

Lucy lowered her head, as if shamed, and spoke. "I wasn't planning on coming back."

"What?" Kouta asked, shocked. "Why not?"

"Those people will keep coming after me. I…I think they know I'm alive. Besides, I've caused you enough pain already. If they come here… I don't know what I was doing. I was just walking around and next thing I know, I'm back here… I… Those people, they'll-"

"I don't care." Kouta interrupted. "I don't care if they come here. And I don't care what they do to me. What I _do_ care about is what happens to you. I can't stand the thought that you're out there, and that I don't know if you're okay or not."

This revelation shocked Lucy into silence. Not once had she thought that _this _would be his reaction. Her shock increased tenfold when Kouta kneeled next to her and took into an embrace, and saying: "Don't you see? I don't care what you've done or who's after you. I only care about you. _I want you here._"

Lucy could not say anything. Her only response was to return the embrace, as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks.

"I couldn't care less who's after you, or what weapons they have." Kouta stated "I promise, no matter what, if they show up, I'll fight for you. _No matter what._"

* * *

"_WHAT?!?_"

An enraged voice echoed through the room, as an elder man was clearly blowing his top at the news his guard had just given him. "What the hell do you mean, Mercer's back?!?"

The once frightened guard now found himself terrified at his boss' rage. "S-Sir, we…uh…we have reports that…that there are s… snipers s-s-stationed around t-the house, Director." The guard stuttered at his boss. "A-According to Bando th-the techniques t-these snipers use i-is similar to those which A-Alexander M-Mercer's men used way b-back…"

"_GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, AND DON'T COME TO ME WITH SUCH BULLSHIT STORIES AGAIN!!!_" Director Kakuzawa yelled at the guard. When he was gone, he readjusted his wig and thought to himself. _He can't be back. It's impossible. He and those other devils went to the United States after Riggs died. There's no way someone like Alex Mercer could have found himself a recruit in that land. If he's back, he'll try to get to Lucy. And after that, he'll try to get to me. He'll come for payback. Dammit! I can't let this get to me. He's not back. He is not back. He can't be._

* * *

"Robert!" a young girl's voice happily exclaimed as Captain Cross entered her ward. It surprised him to see someone so… _cheerful_ in a hospital of all places.

"Hey there." He answered. "Have they been treating you well?"

"Very well!" the young Genocide Angel responded. "Much better than those meanies at that other place. I like it here. Everyone's so friendly!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying your stay. I hear a doctor came to see you?"

"Yeah. He said things about skin I couldn't understand." She stated. "Then he told me he needed a piece of my skin where that _thing_ appears. Is Dr. Mercer here yet?"

"Yes, he'll be here later this afternoon. But _you_ have something more important to take care of." Cross said, smiling.

"Huh? Wha???" the young girl asked, puzzled.

"Didn't you say you didn't have a name?"

"Yeah. What about it? Do I need one?" she asked with a look of innocence, as well as cluelessness on her features.

"Of course." He replied, handing her a book. "Everyone has one."

"What's this?"

"A book with all the different names of today."

"You're gonna help me get a name?!?" the young girl cried excitedly.

"I did say so earlier, didn't I?" Cross replied.

"YAY!!!"

--------------------------------------_**45 Minutes Later-**_-------------------------------

"I like this one!!!" the young girl cried suddenly. "Alicia. Doesn't it sound beautiful, Robert?"

"Sure does. You sure you want this name?"

"Definitely!!" she said ecstatically.

"Consider it done."

"Alicia, you say?" a cold voice came from behind them. As they turned towards the door, Alex Mercer entered the ward, followed by Jonathan Steele and Dwayne Hughes.

Cross stood up. "Sir." He spoke. "I thought you were only coming later?"

"Jo's friends arrived sooner than expected." Alex replied.

"Am I needed here, sir?" Beast suddenly piped up. "Or can I go?"

Alex regarded him suspiciously. "You're free to go, John." He said. "You too, Dwayne."

"Sir." They replied, and left immediately.

Alex turned back to Alicia. "You're sure you want that name?"

"Yes!" Alicia cried happily. "Oh wow! I have a name! YAY!!!"

This reaction brought a smile to both the men's faces, as Cross spoke: "This is the doctor I told you about. The one who can help you. But you'll need to trust him like you trust me, okay?"

"Okay!" the little girl smiled cheerfully. Then she turned to Alex. "What do you wanna know, Dr. Mercer?"

"Firstly, I need to know what you feel when your tattoo shows."

"What I feel?" Alicia replied, puzzled.

"Your emotions, your body, and so forth." Alex replied.

"Uhh…I get really angry. And shaky. And my body starts to tingle. What does that mean, doctor?"

"It adds to a suspicion I have. Do you note any…_changes_ in yourself? Personality-wise."

"Uhm…I think I stop caring about what's around me…"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't feel scared or confused or anything. It all goes away. But I struggle to think at all when it happens."

"Robert, have the other doctors taken a sample of her skin yet?" Alex asked, turning to Cross.

"Yes sir. Earlier this morning."

"Tell them to get it to me immediately." Alex said, before turning to Alicia. "I'm going to try and find out why what you just described happens to you."

"Robert says you can fix it. Is that true, doctor?" Alicia asked with an innocent look.

"I will. I promise." Alex responded, with a surprisingly _normal_ voice. As he said that, the intercom sounded again:

"_Doctor Mercer, you are needed at the communications tower."_

"I'll be back later, okay?" he asked Cross and Alicia.

"Sir." Cross responded.

"Bye!" Alicia cheerfully called.

_-------------------------------------COMMS TOWER------------------------------------_

"Alex! We've got trouble!" Dana Mercer informed her brother. "Sniper Team 3 is on Line 7. They've got urgent info for you."

Alex walked to the radio, and spoke. "This is Dr. Mercer. Report." On the other side of the radio, shots could be heard.

"We're compromised, sir! They've launched a full scale attack on us!" The voice came from the radio. "I don't think SAT are all dead yet, sir! Gaines, your right! LOOK OUT!" A few more seconds of gunshots and light explosions followed.

"Colonel? You there?" Alex spoke into the radio.

"Sir! We intercepted a radio transmission GenTek sent their HQ! They've got bugs all over the inn. They also said something else… Something about a…uh… Mi-35. Sir, _what the fuck is that?!?_"

Alex's eyes widened a bit. "Is it heading to you, Colonel?"

"No. sir!" came the reply, followed by a louder, closer explosion. "They say they're prepping it to take off. Sir, what's an Mi-35?"

_Oh no,_ Alex thought as a very unpleasant memory entered his head…

-----------------------------------_**FLASHBACK**_-----------------------------------------

"Behold, Sergeant Tanaka!" a middle-aged Director Kakuzawa told Alex, disguised in what seemed to be an S.A.T Sergeant's uniform, as the lights in the hangar in which they stood lit up, revealing a very special military chopper. "The Mil Mi-35 Superhind! No mere vector can lay a hand on this beautiful piece of machinery."

"Impressive." Alex replied. "What's it's specs?"

"Ho, ho. Wouldn't you like to know…" Kakuzawa laughed. "This one is special. _We _made this one. On the tip of each wing, we have a modified American M61 Vulcan gatling cannon, capable of firing over 7 000 of its patented anti-personnel rounds per minute. Here," he motioned with his hand towards the nose of the chopper, "we have another wonderful American gun, the Browning .50 caliber machinegun, with armour piercing shells. Next to our M61s, we have two rocket pods containing 12 ZR-21 Rockets each. Next to that, we have two missile racks holding four American Sidewinder Missiles each. We have built in a few Ultraviolet lights, allowing our pilot to see the vectors and thus dodge them. Wonderful theory the late doctor Mercer proved correct. We have the flares in case of a lock-on and two extra thrusters for more speed, as well as a rear mounted American M60 LMG for a third pilot to use. Quite nice, eh?"

"Very. What's it for?" Alex asked, suspicious of why the Director needs such an apocalyptic machine.

"Oh, come now, Nobu. You know who and what we are. People target us out of fear, and this miracle will allow us to make them run to the hills, crying. This Hind can start and win World War III twenty times over…"

----------------------------------------_**END FLASHBACK**_------------------------------

"Not good." Alex said as he pulled himself from the memory.

"What's an Mi-35 got to do with this? I thought it was generally weak compared to GenTek's other helos." Dana asked.

"It's an assault chopper Kakuzawa built in '89. It was a prototype back then, the only useable assault helicopter they had. Made specifically to hunt runaway Diclonii." he replied. Then he grabbed his short-wave radio. "Dwayne, you there?"

"Sup, homie?"

"Meet me in the briefing room. Immediately. I have an assignment for you."

* * *

"Whaddya need, bro?" Dwayne asked as Alex entered the briefing room.

"Kakuzawa is going to send a super-chopper to attack Lucy. I want you to prep a team to evacuate the residents of the house. A Seaknight is ready for you. I advise you take one or two support gunners."

"How super is this piece o' shit really?"

"It outclasses every chopper we have. It's GenTek's pride and joy. This chopper has about three reserve fuel tanks, so it can chase for a very long time. We're going to drop you at a dock about thirty minutes' drive from the inn."

"Why so long?"

"You'll need it to shake the chopper. I'll have two humvees ready at the docks. Park two blocks away, and go in to speak to them _alone_. Try to convince them to leave before the chopper arrives. I've organised with the government to stay out of this. It'll just cost more lives if they join the chase. Once you have all five residents, drive back to the docks. We'll have two Cobras waiting in case the Superhind follows, as well as a Seaknight to bring you all back here. If necessary, you may even show them your abilities."

"How will that help?"

"An enemy of an enemy is a friend. Might help. Any questions?"

"Just one. What weapons are we getting on this?"

"You can choose between the AUG Para and the HK G3." Cross said. "The rest will take the standard M4 and M16 Grenadier rifles. Support will take M60s. Now move out."

"Yessir!"

* * *

Evening came at an amazing rate for the five young residents of the inn. The few days since Lucy had returned were quite busy, seeing as Lucy was getting settled in again. Mayu, Yuka and Nana had taken Lucy to the stores that day, to find her some new clothes. And, naturally, because they're women, half the stores were cleared in the process. Kouta, on the other hand, got started on getting Lucy's room back in order. Apparently, her vectors worked in her dreams. Her nightmares as well…

Around 7 o'clock, everyone was gathered around the table, eating their dinner and chatting on about the day's activities. Mostly they were laughing at the bruise Kouta got on his forehead after tripping on a floorboard Lucy ripped up in her sleep. They also spoke about Nana's first shopping experience. But the oddest thing about tonight was Lucy's face. For the first time since she came back, she was actually smiling.

"I know you're not the brightest, Kouta," Yuka stated. "But how do you trip on something sticking straight up?" Lucy was oddly trying very hard not to laugh. Nana and Mayu weren't even trying. Kouta just sat there, blushing and holding a wet cloth to his forehead. "That's right. Kick me when I'm down." He said, smiling.

"Oh, we haven't even started!" Mayu exclaimed. She really had changed since living with her new family. Suddenly, Wanta started barking. But this wasn't a normal bark. Wanta sounded… _defensive_. Then a knock came from the door.

"I'll go check…as always." Kouta sighed. He got up and went to the front door. As he opened it, his eyes fell upon a tall, African-American man with a biker beard and a tattoo covering most of his bald head. Then his eyes fell on the rifle slung across the man's shoulder, and he readied himself.

A scowl crossed Kouta's face. "Are you h…"

"Don' worry, homie." The man spoke suddenly. "I ain't here to hurt her. I ain't here to hurt any of ya. I just need to talk to ya. All of ya."

"Who is it?" Yuka's popped out of the room. She too saw the rifle and clasped a hand over her mouth to stop from screaming.

"He says he needs to talk to us." Kouta informed her with a worried look on his face.

"It's real urgent, ma'am." The man added.

Yuka hesitantly nodded, and Kouta said: "Well, come in."

As the man entered the room, he took his rifle from his shoulder. He saw them tense at this, and said "Don't worry. Look." He propped his rifle against the wall. "Like I said, I just need to speak to ya."

"This way." Kouta said, leading him to the table. As he sat down, the man remained standing. He took a photo from his trenchcoat, glanced at it, and then over to Lucy. "Are you Lucy?" he asked.

"I knew it!" Nana suddenly piped up. "He's one of them!"

"Whoa!! Hold on there!" The man said as both Nana and Lucy sprang up. "I ain't here to kill ya! I'm here to warn ya! Take you somewhere safe!"

"What do you mean?" Lucy growled, taking the words right out of Kouta's mouth.

"I mean that old fucker ain't done witchoo yet."

"Huh?" all five said in unison.

"Kakuzawa. He wants you back, Lucy."

"Let him try." She said coldly.

"He is tryin'." The man answered. "Name's Dwayne Hughes. The company that did that to you," he said while beckoning towards the stumps that were Lucy's horns, "are known as GenTek. Evil motherfuckers, those. My boss tells me that they's got a super-chopper headin' here right now! That's why I'm here. I'm here to get you outta here."

"Why should we trust you?" Nana suddenly chimed.

"Ever heard the phrase "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"? Ring a bell?"

"I've heard it once or twice." Kouta said. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

With a smile, Dwayne rolled up his sleeve and took off his glove. He held up his arm, and in a second, his eyes and the veins on his neck and arm shone a bright blue, while live electricity welled up between his fingertips. "Them assholes fucked me over, too." He told the shocked crowd before him. And in a flash, the electricity was gone. He was normal again. "I know whatchoo been through, Lucy. That's why the bossman sent me." He said. "Could've sent Johnny, but then… I ain't even gonna think about it."

"Don't make me laugh." She replied.

"I do. I know how it feels to be rejected by the world. I know how it feels to have people point at you and call you a fuckin' freak." He stared at her shocked face for a second or two, before saying: "I also know someone who can help."

"You… What?" Lucy asked.

"Someone who can possibly 'cure' you. See," he said, leaning against the wall. "Them horns of yours certainly weren't God's work. Just like every other fucked up experiment in GenTek's – tha's the place you were kept – underground levels. All o' dem were supposedly 'God's New Race', but they all went fuckish. All except one, though, and that one is the one who I said can cure you."

Before Lucy, or anyone else could answer, Dwayne's radio sounded. "Sir!" a voice came. "Chopper inbound! Hind, 10 o'clock high!"

"What the…" Dwayne's response was cut short as the voice sounded again: "SHIT! It fired! Get d…"

The transmission was cut short as the entrance hall and kitchen wall burst into flames, as explosion shook the entire inn. "HIT THE FLOOR!!!" Dwayne yelled as he dived for his rifle. No sooner were they all flat on the ground, as millions of bullets started piercing the walls of the inn, sending smashed china and chunks of furniture flying everywhere. Outside, the sound of the helicopter came closer; a loud whirring sound supported by some much louder turbines. "Y'ALL ARE GONNA HAVE TO CRAWL!" Dwayne screamed again. "FOLLOW ME!" He started crawling towards the back door. "ISN'T THAT THE NEXT PLACE HE'LL SHOOT?" Kouta yelled over the sounds of destruction around them.

"WE AIN'T GOIN' OUT THAT WAY!" Dwayne yelled back, as he took what looked like a grenade from his coat. "WE'S GOIN' OUT THE WINDOW! I'M GONNA FOOL HIM!" He pulled the pin out, and threw the grenade near the back door. A loud bang came, and smoke started engulfing the area where it lay. The bullets stopped flying, as they could hear the chopper moving over the house. "Lopez! Get da trucks here NOW!!!" Dwayne yelled into his radio. As the bullets started flying near the backdoor, he yelled: "This way!" as he ran towards one of the windows. Raising his hand, red electricity formed around his fingers, and the window was blown out. "Hurry up!" he yelled at the disoriented family. "That smoke ain't gonna last long!" He jumped through the opening where the window once was, then turned to help them all out. As they took off down the street, Dwayne grabbed his radio again. "Lopez! Where the fuck are you?!?" he yelled.

"Almost there!" the reply came.

Almost immediately after the radio went silent again, two large SUVs appeared at the corner of the street. "There's our ride, peeps!" Dwayne yelled. "Climb aboard!" The first truck had only a driver and one gunner, with open space for six people. The other truck was packed with another driver and five soldiers, two carrying very big guns, with very big boxes underneath. "Hurry up, boys an' girls!" Dwayne yelled again as he hoisted Nana into the back of the first truck. Then came Mayu, followed by Lucy, Yuka and Kouta respectively. As Dwayne boarded the SUV, a huge chopper appeared over the now ruined inn. "Oh SHIT!!! IT'S ONTO US!!!" he turned to driver. "DRIVE, BITCH, DRIVE!!!"

With a screech of the tyres, the first SUV sped down the street, followed closely by the second. "LOPEZ!!!" Dwayne screamed into his radio. "GET SUM FIRE ON THAT THING NOW!!!" Lucy and the rest of the gang turned their attention to the truck behind them, as bullets started flying towards the helicopter. However, it didn't affect it in the least.

"IT'S NOT DOING SHIT!" The man Lopez screamed over the radio.

"Shit…" Dwayne sighed. "Tell the suppor…" He was cut short as a whooshing sound came from the chopper as a rocket flew from one of its pods. About a second later, the rear truck flew into the air as exploded, flames engulfing it entirely. As it landed, the dead bodies of five soldiers land as well. "LOPEZ!!!" Dwayne yelled over the screams that escaped Nana, Mayu and Yuka's mouths. "Shit! Driver, STEP ON IT! You," he said, turning to the last soldier. "Ryan! Bro, grab that RPG and try to keep it off our tail!"

"Right!" the soldier replied, pickup up a rocket launcher and aiming at their pursuer. "Kid!" he called to Kouta, to no avail. Kouta sat there, with a look of fear and shock on his face. "Kid!" Dwayne called again.

"Kouta!" Lucy pulled him from his stupor.

"Huh?" he replied, his voice shaking as badly as his body.

"No time for daydreams now, boy!" Dwayne yelled over the noise of the chopper. "Can you shoot?"

"What?!?" Kouta asked, shocked.

"Can you use a fuckin' gun, dumbass!!!" Dwayne responded.

"I don't know…I…I can try…" he trailed off.

"Good enough. Take this," Dwayne said as he took his rifle from his shoulder, "and…" He was cut short again as a buzz came from the helicopter, and guns on its wing erupted, sending a hail of lead at the road, making the girls scream even louder. The bullets came at an amazing rate, sending gray dust and tarmac particles flying upwards wherever the hit. After about three seconds, it was like a greyish sandstorm was following the truck. "JESUS!!!" Dwayne yelled. "THAT AIN'T LIKE DEM!!! DEY AIN'T SUPPOSED TO GO PUBLIC LIKE DIS!!! DAMMIT," he yelled, turning to the soldier, "SHOOT!!!" As the soldier started launching rockets the heli, which dodged them with ease, he turned to the frightened family in the back. "Y'all keep yer heads down, hear? Dis is gonna turn into sum messy shit!" Each member nodded and ducked, except for Lucy, who stood up and glared at the chopper.

_Come on, bitch, _the pilot thought. _Use those arms. I dare you._

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITCHOO?!?" Dwayne screamed. "YOU WANNA GET YO ASS CAPPED?!?" As Lucy stood, she launched her vectors at the chopper. But as soon as she attacked, bright blue lights came from three spotlights on the chopper, showing four silhouettes resembling arms and hands hovering near it. Lucy shielded her eyes, and carried on her attack. But the pilot saw this, and dodged all four easily.

_Gotcha!_ He thought as he aimed the nose-mounted gun at her, and fired.

Seven bullets hit her in her legs and stomach, as she fell with a scream of pain.

"LUCY!!!" Kouta screamed, now terrified, while dragging her unconscious form to him.

"Motherfucker!!!" Dwayne yelled. He turned to the soldier firing the rocket launcher. "Drop that and tend to her!!! I got this!!!" He rolled up his other sleeve, and took off his other glove, as his eyes and veins now glowed red. He raised his hand at the chopper, and a bolt of red electricity fired at the heli. The heli dodged, and Dwayne fired again. While he was busy, the soldier kneeled next to Lucy and Kouta. "Relax, man." He said to Kouta. He took a pair of pliers from his vest, and said: "We need to get those bullets out of her body. That's the only way we can fix her up."

Kouta hesitated, and then turned to Dwayne, who was cursing like a drunken biker, throwing bolts at the chopper, which dodged and struck back with bullets, which in turn oddly stopped dead in front of Dwayne. "We need to fix her up before that thing starts firing rockets as well." The soldier informed Kouta.

"Okay. Do what you must." Kouta said.

"Will do. Take her hands." The soldier replied. As Kouta took Lucy's hands into his own, the soldier took a small torch and shone it into each of her wounds. "We've got three bullets still stuck there." He said. "Hold on to her, okay?"

"Okay." Kouta replied shakily. Carefully, the soldier stuck the pliers into each of the wounds, causing Lucy to groan and tighten her hold on Kouta's hands. After all three bullets were successfully removed, he took a clip of bullets for his rifle from his vest, popped five out, and opened them. He sprinkled the gunpowder into and around her wounds, causing her to groan again. "What…are you doing?" Kouta asked, worried at the gunner's actions.

"Hold on tight, boy." The soldier said, as he took a knife from his belt. Before Kouta could protest, he dragged the knife over the clip, causing sparks to fly and land on the gunpowder, igniting it. Lucy's scream almost distracted the driver, as she nearly broke both of the young man's hands.

"What the hell was that?!?" Kouta asked angrily.

"She's better now. See for yourself." The soldier replied. As Kouta turned to Lucy he saw her breathing slow, to a normal rate, as the grip she had on his hands loosened. However he was pulled from his observation when more whooshing sounds came from the chopper, causing three explosions around the truck. The three girls screamed again. The soldier turned to Kouta. "Just in time, too." He stood up, raised his rifle, and started firing on the heli. A nearby explosion caused Kouta to duck again.

"We need to evade!" They heard the driver yell. "Hold on!" The truck shook violently as it crashed through the fence of a park, driver cursing at the pedestrians and laying on the horn to get them out of the way. Unfortunately, the pilot remained undeterred, continuously firing away. Kouta grimaced as blood flew skywards, more pedestrians falling before the rain of lead, tinting the lush, green grass a deep shade of red.

They soon broke out of the park, the helicopter following closely. More than once, Kouta jumped as bullets impacted the steel of the truck, echoing loudly in his ears. He felt himself grow more hysterical with each life taken around him. "Jesus," He heard the soldier curse. "This thing isn't here to try and stop us, dude!" He called to Dwayne, still firing electricity and cursing at the top of his lungs. "This thing wants to destroy us!"

"You think I didn't realise that, fool!?" Dwayne responded. "This he-bitch is annihilate us if we don't do something!"

"Bingo!" The driver yelled happily. "Tunnel, dead ahead!"

"Then what da fuck are you waitin' for!? Drive, woman!" Dwayne yelled. Another loud explosion rocked the ground, this time sending a shockwave that lifted the rear of the truck slightly. "Shit!" Dwayne cursed, gripping his ears. "That one was too close! We need to evade! Start swerving, damn it!" Nodding, the woman started tugging the steering wheel in both directions. Kouta used one hand to cling to the roll cage, and another to secure Lucy, as he felt himself sliding around in the back of the large truck.

"Aaand… We're in!" The driver yelled triumphantly as Kouta's vision darkened, illuminated only by a few lights in the sides of the tunnel. "What do we do now, sir?" she asked Dwayne.

"Da fuck should I know? You's the damn navigator, so navigate and drive!" He said curtly.

"I have an idea." The driver said softly as she slammed the brakes, almost sending Dwayne flying over the trucks roof.

"Are you tryin' to get me killed!?" He cursed. "What the shit is wrong with you!?"

"Hold on…" She said with grin, and the truck's rear wheels started spinning, creating huge clouds of smoke. With one motion, she swung the steering wheel left, and the body of the truck followed, quickly turning around.

"The fuck are you…" Dwayne was interrupted by a fit of coughs brought on by the smoke. "Hate these fuckin' open rear ends…" He sighed.

"That chopper is probably going to the exit of the tunnel to wait for us." The driver said, panting slightly from the adrenaline of the chase. "We're fooling it now, just like you fooled it back at the inn."

"King 5, King 5, come in!" The radio in the truck suddenly sounded. "Is anyone still alive?"

"Affiramtive, HQ!" The driver responded, bringing it up to her mouth. "We have secured the inhabitants, but the inn's been shot to shit and King 4 is down!"

"Roger that. Well, you have more problems now, King 5. We're seeing large amounts of roadblocks around your area, consisting of armed guards and light armour. Possible BMPs at certain locations. Advise you get the hell out of that tunnel before it's sealed too."

"Shit…" Dwayne sighed. "Where to now? That chopper ain't gonna wait around forever. It's bound to come back to the entrance, so drive!"

"We're seeing multiple vehicles closing in on your position, King 5." The radio sounded again. "Mostly scout vehicles, but that chopper is still in the vicinity."

"Where to?" The driver asked.

"The highway is your only option, King 5." The voice over the radio said. "There are no roadblocks so far, but it put you right in the Hind's line of fire. You can either take the highway, or try to break through the roadblocks in the industrial area. It's the commando's call."

"Who, me!?" Dwayne said loudly. "Why the hell should I decide? This fucks up, I get blamed. This doesn't fuck up, I don't get shit!"

"Just shut up and decide already!" The driver yelled.

"Alright, alright! Fuck…" He pondered for a moment. "We take the highway. It's risky, but better than trying to dodge BMPs between factories."

"Good call." The driver smirked.

* * *

They were travelling down a highway now, random cars swinging sideways to avoid getting rammed by the large SUV. Kouta winced as he heard some of those cars explode after being hit by rockets. He heard more shots coming from behind him. The helicopter was back. "Aw, hell no!" He heard Dwayne cry out. Then he heard the driver on the radio.

"…Blackwatch operatives needed A.S.A.P! We are taking heavy fire! Repeat! We're not gonna make it to the docks!"

"Roger that, Unit 1. Blackwatch Strike Teams are en route as we speak. E.T.A seven minutes."

"We're not gonna make seven more minutes! It's been fifteen so far, and we already lost a squad!" the soldier yelled.

"Shut up an' keep shootin', fool!" Dwayne yelled at him, as more explosions went off around them, sending more cars and innocent pedestrians flying.

"My ears!" Kouta heard Yuka scream. "My ears are bleeding!" More buzzing sounds were heard from Dwayne as he shot bolts of lightning at the heli, while the heli kept all three cannons firing at his targets. Near them, a large truck exploded, and other cars piled up around it. The driver was now swerving the vehicle left and right, desperately trying to avoid the rockets and explosions that were now going off around them.

"Kouta…" Lucy mumbled as her eyes started opening.

"I'm here." Kouta replied, holding her close to him.

Suddenly, the chopper stopped shooting. The bullets stopped flying, and no more explosions appeared. "OH SHIT!!!" Dwayne yelled. Kouta raised his head, and saw why Dwayne cursed. Behind them, seven jeeps followed, each packed with guards wielding weapons. The heli's thrusters activated, and it moved over the truck, as the jeeps closed in, the occupants blindly firing at the them.

"What's it doing?" the soldier asked.

"I don't give a shit!" Dwayne responded, throwing a bolt at the jeeps, missing it by millimetres. "Now you keep these dicks away!"

"Right!" the soldier said, aiming his rifle at the jeeps, and shooting.

"The heli's fucking off!" the driver yelled. "We might just…"

"Oh…SHIT!!!" she was cut off by the soldier, who was pointing at a highway bridge they were nearing. But the bridge wasn't the problem. They were on it by the time everyone saw.

"What the fuck now?" Dwayne asked as he looked around.

"THAT!!!" the soldier yelled, pointing at the Hind a few feet from them. They all saw one last missile in one of the pods. Then the soldier pointed at the fuel tanker about 10 metres away, coming closer with each passing second.

"That heli's gonna blow the bridge!" the soldier shouted.

"STOP THE FUCKIN' TRUCK!!!" Dwayne yelled, a few seconds too late. The hind fired at the tanker, causing an explosion that literally blew the truck over, sending it flying onwards, towards parts of concrete falling to the depths below.

"AH FUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!...."

_**BANG!!**_

* * *

A/N: Dun dun dun! The dreaded element known as a cliffhanger! So sorry about this, but my creativity is dead now. I hate South-African weather… It blows!

Hope you guys enjoyed. Thanks again to my reviewers. I hope this chapter met your expectations!

Cheers!

--Slipkn0T--


	4. 4 Revelations Part 1

**A/N: **Yo! –Slipkn0T—'s back with another chapter. There's just one small matter I need to rectify first about the last Chapter, namely my character Dwayne and the fact that he… Oh, I dunno, shot freakin' electricity from his hands and all. That idea comes from the game _inFamous_. Needless to say, I don't own it. I only own the character, not his powers. The powers are the property of the Awesome people who made the game.

Now, Important Matter #2, namely my decision to turn this into a sort of multi-crossover story. I'm adding another anime to this fic, and I've made quite a few timeline changes to it. I dunno how popular this anime is, it's called _Burst Angel_. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Go ahead. Say it. Say it with me, "What the F#$!?"

-But there's method behind my madness. I need a supporting character that Lucy can relate to, in terms of:

-Being stoic and generally emotionless

-Being a killer

-Not saying much

-One very crappy past

-Also some kind of biological-whateveryouwannacallit.

But fear not, only a few timeline changes, namely the fact that it's 2010 and there are no big-assed gunslinging robots. Other than that, Jo, Meg, Sei and Amy are merely supporting characters like John and Dwayne.

You didn't seriously think I was gonna 'relate' Lucy to Alex Mercer, did you? You did? WRONG. Oh well. Hope the next few crossovers don't disappoint. Enjoy!

--Slipkn0T—(_author_)

* * *

CHAPTER 4

"…bridge won't hold! It's gonna collapse!"

"I KNOW DAT, FOOL!!!"

Another explosion snapped Kouta from his dazed state, and he stared up into the soldier's face, busy pulling him to his feet. Everything was happening so slowly…

"Get up!" The soldier shouted, as he pulled Kouta again. "Get moving or you die!" As they escaped from the smoke, the few crushed slabs they were just on crumbled and fell towards the river, as the soldier dragged Kouta to an unconscious Yuka. He scanned around. He saw Dwayne taking cover from the chopper behind an overturned truck, with Nana and Mayu's unconscious bodies next to him. And farther on, behind a burnt-out wreck, Lucy sat hunched, clutching her wounds, which were bleeding again.

Time around him returned to it's normal pace, and he felt a sharp pain in his neck. The soldier pulled him down, just in time to avoid a few stray bullets from the guards who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "It's whiplash, kid. Relax and stay here." the soldier said, before leaning out and firing on the men. "Backup's on it's way." He said as he pulled back to reload his rifle. "Just hang on a bit…" That sentence wasn't finished before Kouta felt himself thrown away from the car as the helicopter fired all it's remaining missiles at the area where they took cover. More explosions sent everyone flying in all directions.

Time slowed again when Kouta came to. He glanced to the side, and saw the soldier lying there, clutching his side, while Yuka laid face-down a few feet from him. He looked forward and saw Dwayne on his back, holding his stomach, and Mayu and Nana two or three feet further. The he glanced to Lucy, and saw her laying unconscious, with a steel rod sticking through her side, and blood trickling from the side of her mouth. He looked forward again, and saw men with guns walking to them. Men in assault outfit's, armor around their chests, waists, legs and arms. Then he saw the driver again. She was lying about five feet ahead, on her side. As the man with the gun approached, he aimed at her head and shot, sending a stream of blood spraying upwards. He then aimed at Dwayne, while the other three aimed at him, Mayu and Nana. The rest of the men behind them – three dozen at best – all cheered, and just when it seemed they were about to fire…

_**BOOM!!**_

The chopper that had pursued them all the way burst into flames, as bullets cut down the three men aiming at them. Rockets flew over them at the rest of the men, as two smaller choppers hovered over them. They were followed by bigger choppers, with two rotors each. Hatches on the sides of these helicopters opened, as ropes fell to the ground. Soldiers started sliding down the ropes, joining the fight against the other guards while others took on the task of helping his "family". He felt two hands on his shoulders, and he was turned over, he gazed at a man with long, messy hair and a full beard. He wore a black trenchcoat, and had a bow slung across his back. His glasses fell off, revealing to pitch black eyes with bright red irises. As his consciousness slipped, he heard the man say: "You're gonna be alright, kid…" His head fell to the side, where he saw two soldiers strapping Lucy to a stretcher, before she was hoisted up to a chopper. He felt himself being lifted up, then set down on a stretcher too, before being strapped on and hoisted up to the chopper hovering above him. As he was going up, he glanced to his left, and saw a medic perform CPR on the soldier that had helped saved them.

* * *

"No. No. NO, NO, NO!!!!" Director Kakuzawa yelled, pounding his desk with each word. "How did they know?!? How did they find out about the weak side panels?!? WHO TOLD THEM?!? DAMMIT!!!"

"You called, sir?" a man in his mid thirties with short hair entered the office.

"Ah, Marcus." Kakuzawa answered. "Yes, yes I did. I understand you know some of Alexander Mercer's guerrilla and combat tactics? You are a member of Blackwatch after all…"

"I don't _know_ them. I only know _about_ them. I'm a frontline unit. No covert ops for me. But I've already studied a bit about the soldiers who interfered in the chase, and compared them to the tactics Mercer's guerrillas used back then."

"And?" the Director desperately asked, hoping the answer would not be the one he feared.

"It's Mercer's tactics, sir. His elites" Marcus Graves said gravely. "I may work for these people, but I've never seen his elites. Not once."

_No…_ Kakuzawa thought. _It can't be. It just can't… Both my Hind and Lucy. He has them now…_ "You're dismissed, Marcus. Your convoy is waiting at a factory east of here." He said.

* * *

Back at the inn, pebbles and small pieces of debris flew in all directions as a middle aged, spectacled man landed on what remained of the walkway leading up to the front door, cracking the concrete as he did so. As he looked up, he grimaced visibly.

_No… NO!_ He thought horrified as he ran up to the burning ruins that the inn had been reduced to. _GenTek… Those imbeciles!_ With an inhuman roar, the figure slammed his fist into the ground, kicking up dust as a mighty shockwave shook the remains of the buildings. In his insanity, his glasses fell to the ground, revealing sunken, black eye sockets, with solid white eyes except for snake-like black pupils. He growled angrily, revealing rows of sharp fangs where his teeth should be. _Those infidels have taken the queen from me… But wait…_ With a few audible sounds, the man sniffed the air. _I smell their blood… But not nearly enough to mean they're dead…_ With an evil grin, the man stood back up, his shape changing drastically as he did. His entire body seemed to liquidize into a flowing, black and red mass, rhythmically moving and writhing.

The creature's head took form again, revealing a humanoid one, without hair or complexion. It's skin was an unnatural shade of faded pink, making the skin colour seem almost like a very pale person. The neck came next, with muscles spanning across the top of it's back, sloping down until reaching it's shoulders. The mass grew, standing at a towering height of easily ten feet, possibly more. It's arms took form next. It's left hand had four fingers, each equipped with a sharp nail. It's right, however, was completely different. The hand on this arm was huge, with two long fingers and a thumb, each sporting enormous claws. The hand itself was a dark mix of red and black, contrasting the rest of it's body. The red and black mass started disappearing as the creature's body took on a solid form. It seemed humanoid, albeit much more muscular than any human body. It's eye sockets were still sunken, and the creature retained it's snake-like eyes from before, as well as it's sharp fangs. With a mix of voices, the creature laughed, tone shifting from that of an old man to an infant girl, and back again. _So she lives… _The creature thought darkly. _My plan shall still work._ It quickly turned it's head back to the inn when it heard a crash coming from the back of the inn. _Oh? What's this?_

With a powerful swing of his bionic arm, Bando knocked what was left of the back door off it's hinges easily. With a fierce growl, he drew his pistol and entered. "Whatever the fuck did this must have killed that bitch too…" He muttered. "That bitch was MINE!" he cried as he fired into the wall, responding to a sound that came from behind it.

The creature grinned, baring all of it's lethal fangs. _So this human wishes to find the queen too…_ It glanced around the wall again, staring at Bando's side as he aimed in front of him. It's vision easily picked up the heat coming from Bando's body, although the fact that his arm seemed to blend in with the heat from the background seemed to intrigue it. It quickly closed it's eyes, and opened them again, revealing a new pair of eyes.

Crystal blue eyes, with a round black pupil. Human eyes. And it saw the mechanised parts under Bando's sleeve.

_Bionics…_ The creature grinned, reverting it's eyes back to it's own. _Undoubtedly GenTek made… The little queen must have done that to him… But that means…_ The creature grinned again, chuckling in a low, raspy growl, causing Bando to spin and fire thrice in it's direction. _This one has met her…_ It thought victoriously. _This one knows how she looks… And, more importantly, who is close to her…_

"Show yourself!" Bando yelled. "I want to look at you when I kill your sorry ass!"

_So be it…_ The creature grinned. As Bando took aim in the direction he heard the chuckle come from, he clicked back the hammer of his gun and rested his finger on the trigger. As he requested, his opponent showed himself. Or rather, _her_self. Bando slightly lowered his gun as a girl of no more than seven entered the hall, crying softly. "What the fuck? What are you doing here!?" He asked loudly, making the little girl wince.

"Don't shoot!" The girl cried, sniffing loudly. "T-The bad men came here… And did this… M-my daddy came in to help but they…they…" The girl's sentence was cut short as she started crying loudly. Bando sighed and lowered his gun. The creature cheered mentally. _You fell for it… How gullible you humans are…_

"Do you have any other family?" Bando asked wearily. "Anyone I should contact?" He asked as he took out his cellphone.

"Oh, but there's no need for that…" The girl cooed as she appeared directly in front of him. There were no signs that she even cried.

"What the f…" His words were lost as the girl looked up, revealing the creature's trademark eyes and fangs.

"I don't need family…" She cooed again in a variety of voices. "But I do need something from you, human…"

"Fuck you!" Bando cried, raising his pistol to the girl's eye and pulling the trigger.

_**BANG!**_

With a loud bang, the girl's body flew backwards as a fragment of her head exploded, smearing the burnt walls with a moving black substance. "What the fuck…" Bando gasped slightly. "That… What the fuck was that thing!?" He quickly turned and holstered his gun, heading for the back door. "There's no way I'm staying here…"

"Leaving so soon?" The same mixed voice came from directly behind him, making his eyes widen. He quickly turned his head around to see an elderly gentleman grinning at him with what was left of his fanged mouth. The other half of his head was gone, revealing more black substance. "And here we were just starting to have fun…"

Bando quickly drew his pistol and attempted to slam the bottom of it into the creature's face, but it blocked his attack with ease and crushed his mechanical arm with a bored expression. "Oh come now… Surely you can do better?" Bando grimaced as he spun around and attempted to hit the beast with an uppercut. The creature sighed, and blocked his attack again, this time clamping a hand around his throat and lifting him into the air. "I was so hoping you'd prove me wrong…" The creature mused as the missing half of the gentleman's head grew back in a flash. "But it seems even combat-hardened humans are weak." With one quick movement, the creature threw Bando into one of the walls, which shattered easily form the force. The creature smirked as it exited the inn through the hole Bando created, and stalked over to it's prey's fallen from. "Tell me, human…" The creature spoke in mixed voices. "What do you know of the little queen Kakuzawa created? What can you tell me that could help me find her?" Bando only grunted as he stood up, drawing another pistol and firing at the abomination before him. Bullets impacted with flesh, but no harm came to the monster. With a dark smirk, the elderly gentleman turned into another moving mass of red and black, and the true creature stepped forth, towering over Bando as he shot at it without result.

"Futile…" The creature mused as it raised it's right hand delivered a backhand blow to Bando's chest, sending him flying once again. "Pity you don't want to tell me what I want to hear… Well, pity for _you_, that is…" The monster said softly as it walked over to Bando, grabbed him by the throat and raised him a good three feet of the ground, making him gurgle from the hold on his throat. "Now I get to use _my own_ way of interrogation…" It grinned at Bando as his prey started shaking in its colossal hand. "I'm going to enjoy this…" The creature said as it looked upon the questioning look on Bando's face, mixing with that of terror and repulsion. "Oh? You don't know how I interrogate, do you, human?" The monster grinned again. "It's fairly easy… And _very_ enjoyable… For me, that is… And it's so enjoyable…" The creature said as it lowered Bando so their faces were mere inches from each other's as the creature licked its fangs.

"… _because I get to eat you…_"

* * *

She tried to open her eyes. She couldn't. She felt the pipes in her nose, and the needles under her skin. She heard the machines in the background, making various noises. Then she heard the voices from beside her…

"…gave us quite da scare back dere, kid." Dwayne…she thought.

"Uhhn…where…am I?" the voice of a younger man came. _Kouta…_she remembered. She remembered his hands in hers during the chase, how he held her when the explosions started.

"You's in a hospital now, boy." Dwayne's voice came again. "My boss says you flatlined in I.C.U a few times. Dangerous shit that, homie. Tha's Jackass film material, that is."

"Where's…where are…" Kouta struggled.

"Yo girlfriend's right dere, kid." she heard Dwayne say. She groaned, and tried opening her eyes again, only to slip back into a dream…

------------------------------------_**FLASHBACK**_----------------------------------------

Lucy was again in a room, witnessing herself as a child. A childhood she had forgotten. _Again…? _she thought.

A young Lucy sat in a living room, on a couch with a blurred figure next to her. Another one sat across them. Young Lucy suddenly spoke: "Mommy, where did Daddy go?"

_Daddy? Wha…when was this?_

A slur of static sounded from the figure next to her, and Young Lucy turned to the figure across her. "Do you know, Uncle Mercer?"

The figure remained hazed and blurry, but this time a voice came, cold like hers, lacking emotions. "Your father went to the city. That's all I know," and then another static slur. Then the voice spoke again. "He'll be back soon. Trust me. I think he's bringing you something too."

"Yay!" Young Lucy cheered.

More static came from the figure next to her. Then the figure opposite them spoke again. "Both of you should get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Daddy!!" Young Lucy cried as she was dragged to the helicopter waiting in front of a house. Another blurred figure was moving towards them, followed by two more. Static came from the first figure again, followed by gunshots flying at a very young Director Kakuzawa and his guards. Behind it, another figure spoke with the same cold voice it had earlier. "Nathan, GET DOWN!!!" it yelled as it dived into the leading figure, pushing it out of a rockets way. An explosion sounded behind them. Static came from the lead figure again. Then figure two spoke again. "Akira, get out of here!!! We'll handle this!!!"

As the ramp to the back of the helicopter closed, Young Lucy screamed again: "Daddy!! Uncle Mercer!! HELP!!!"

-----------------------------------_**END FLASHBACK---------------------------------**_

Lucy eyes shot open. The monitors next to her went haywire, as her heart nearly pounded through her chest. _Who are they?!?_ She thought. _Why do I keep having these dreams?_

Doctors came rushing into the room, circling her bed and trying to calm her down, to no avail. "Anxiety attack!" one doctor yelled. "We need to calm her down!" Her chest was starting to hurt now. Her side as well. Subconsciously she started whining and moaning.

"What da fuck is goin' on?" Dwayne Hughes' voice came from the door. "Whas wrong wit' her?"

"Anxiety." A doctor said. "She's struggling to get loose. We need to calm her down!"

"You fools really think she'll listen to you whitecoats!?" Dwayne exclaimed, as he walked over to the bed next to her and pulled the curtains aside, revealing Kouta lying asleep. On the monitor, her heart rate slowed a bit, though not much. She started struggling again, kicking and sprawling with all her might.

"Yo! Yo, Kid! Wake up!" Dwayne said to Kouta, pulling him from his sleep.

"Wh…Wha…What's happening?"

"Yo girlfriend's happening! Help us calm her down, dammit!"

"Say what?!?" he glanced over to her bed. "Lucy!"

Lucy kept struggling. The pain she was feeling was immense, as small, brief screams escaped from her lips. The railings of her bed were nearly denting because of her grip on them.

"Lucy!" Kouta called her. "Lucy, please! Calm down!" Unfortunately it didn't help. She kept squirming, oblivious to anyone's pleas. The pain in her chest was becoming too much to bear. Just then, another doctor ran through the doorway with an injection of sorts in his hand.

"Make way!" he yelled. The other doctors all responded by backing away, leaving only one or two to keep her down. The doctor walked over to her and, much to Kouta's horror, stuck the needle right into her stomach, injecting the fluid inside into her. For a moment he felt as if he would jump up and strangle that doctor, but the machines drew his attention before he could finish that particular thought.

The machines' beeping had gotten slower. Lucy's grip on the bars had loosened completely, and her yelps and screams had stopped. With a sigh, she fell back onto the mattress, fast asleep.

"Wh…What was that?'" Kouta shakily asked Dwayne.

"Sedative." He replied. "To calm her ass down."

"What happened there?" came his second question.

"Doctor?" Dwayne asked. "Care to explain?"

"Anxiety." The doctor replied. "Caused by fear or stress. Shock too, possibly. We couldn't use our normal methods of dealing with anxiety. We were losing her. Any more struggling and… I don't need to say what would happen." He turned to Kouta. "You're being discharged this afternoon, along with those two." He pointed to Nana and Yuka, who were still asleep. "You've only got mild concussions, except for her." He pointed to Yuka. "Her nose is broken."

"What about Mayu?" Kouta asked worriedly, pointing towards her.

"She cracked her left leg and broke her right arm." He replied. As he prepared to leave, he looked at Kouta again. "Consider yourself lucky, kiddo. Much worse could have happened."

When the doctors were all gone, another thought popped into Kouta's head. "What about that other soldier? The one who was in the truck with us?"

"He's in I.C.U. Threw you outta da way of a sniper. His lungs are fucked, but he'll live."

"I don't remember seeing a sniper…" Kouta replied, in thought.

"Fuck, neither do I, homie. But da bullet we found in him says otherwise."

"He…saved me?" Kouta asked, shocked.

"I know the guy. Ol' homie o' mine. He loved his wife like you love her." he beckoned to Lucy. "Lost her 'bout four years back. He saw how you felt about each other. So he woulda gave his life, so you two's can live." He was silent for a few seconds, observing the pity in Kouta's face. "Don' worry 'bout it, kid. Bossman Mercer says he's goin'a be fine."

A yawn came from one of the other beds, as Nana sat upright, clutching her head. "Owowowowow…" she mumbled. Then she looked up. A bit too fast. And winced again. "OW!"

"Careful dere, girly." Dwayne said, walking to her bedside. "Take it easy. You shouldn' move yer head so fast. Lay back down." Nana, in too much pain to argue, happily did so. "Now watch this." he said as he turned a knob near the side of the bed. As he did so, the top part of the bed started lifting up.

"Wow!" Nana exclaimed. "I want a bed like this!" Then she looked over to Mayu, who had plaster around her leg and arm. "Mayu!" she cried worriedly, sitting up straight. "Ow!" she grabbed her head again, falling back. "OW!" she cried as her head hit the mattress.

"Easy." Dwayne said. "She's gonna be fine." Just then, his radio sounded, and a woman's voice came from it.

"_Dwayne? You there_?"

"Watchoo want, Dana?"

"_Cross says you need to get your lazy ass into his office. Now_." Then the radio went silent.

"Dumb cow." Dwayne muttered. Then turned to Kouta and Nana. "I gotta go now. I'll see y'all later."

"Uh…Dawyne?" Kouta called.

"Yeah?"

"Just one question: The man who tied me to the stretcher… He had black and red eyes. Who was he?"

"Ah. Tha' was Beastie. He'll be checkin' in later. Well, see ya." He said as he left the ward.

Nana leaned forward and cried out in pain again when she tried to look at Yuka and Lucy. "I don't like this!" she pouted. "Not fair!"

Kouta could only smile. He glanced over to Lucy, then to Yuka and Mayu, and his smile grew. He closed his eyes, and slept, knowing his family was safe.

* * *

Alex Mercer was once again out on one of his errands. This time, he was at a factory near the outskirts of Kamakura. With cold eyes and an indifferent face, he turned from the massacre he had just caused, to look at a middle-aged man, hunched in front of him, spitting up blood and grasping a deep wound on his chest.

"Why did you do it, Marcus?" he asked. "Why did you betray us?"

"What do you care?" the man named Marcus Graves answered after coughing up more blood.

"I care because you caused the death of about ten of our best recon operatives. Now," he said as his arms erupted into a mass of red and black, taking the form of grey, very muscular arms. "I take it you know what happens now." He smirked as Marcus shuffled back in fear. "You know what I am. You know what I can do. You can either tell me, or I'll find out the easy way."

"You really wanna know? Fine." Graves growled. "How long have you been striving to protect those horned freaks?"

"Since a friend of mine suffered because of it." He replied. "What does that matter?"

"It matters because although you paid me well, it still went against my standards."

"And what standards would those be?"

"My daughter was born with those horns. And the arms. They killed her because of it. I became a wanted man because of it. And my wife died because of it."

"Spare me the attempt at pity. That still doesn't justify what you did."

"Don't you see?!?" Graves yelled. "I didn't betray you to kill Jo and John and the others. I betrayed you so I could see those two little monsters die."

"And you cost us lives in the process."

"I did what I thought agreed with what I stand for!"

One of the grey hands closed around his throat. "Too bad for you." Alex said. "Do you know where their HQ is?" Graves went silent. "Such a pity." Alex stated, before wrapping his other hand around his throat. With one pull, Graves was split in two. With blood flying everywhere, the two halves of Graves erupted into the same red and black mass that Alex's arms did, and broke into tendrils moving into his body. Alex in turn entirely turned into the red and black creature, and took the form of the man he had just killed. In an instant, Alex saw the memories of Marcus Graves flash before him, and found something that immediately intrigued him.

A radio appeared out of nowhere, and he spoke into it. "Cross."

"Yes sir?" the Captain's voice came.

"Get John and Dwayne ready. I have a new assignment for them."

"Who's gonna be their teammates this time?"

Alex grinned. "You are."

* * *

"Sir." Cross replied, before setting the radio down again. To his left, Alicia was silently sleeping on a couch in his office. Dwayne sat in front of him. "Start over, Dwayne. What happened?"

"Sum big ass chopper came after our asses. Took out Lopez and his team, too. Seager's the only one who lived. That thing chased us for a whole five minutes, through the streets and onto the highway."

"You say it started firing in a public area?"

"Yeah. Dumb fool. You got a casualty count yet?"

"Over seventy civilians killed. About two hundred injured. Alex just told me he has another assignment for you and John. Don't know what it is yet, but you should get ready. I'll pick our strike team this time."

"Our?" Dwayne asked, puzzled.

"Alex made me your partner on this one." Cross said sternly.

"Aw…HELL YEAH!!!" Dwayne excitedly cried.

"Shut up, you imbecile!" Cross hissed as Alicia stirred.

"Sorry, dude. Aw, damn! Now we's gonna show GenTek what happens when ya fuck wit' Blackwatch!"

"SIR!" Dana Mercer popped into the office with a serious expression on his face.

"What?" Cross asked while standing up, alerted by Dana's expression.

"Meg's at it again, sir. She's arguing with John!"

"Fuck…" Cross sighed loudly, making Alicia stir again. "Sorry about this, Dana, but you'll have to stay with her. Dwayne, with me." He said as he rushed from his office. As they entered the hall, more men rushed past him, holding their rifles at the ready.

"We'll help if necessary, sir." One passerby said.

"Thank you, soldier. Where are they?" Cross inquired, starting to run beside the soldier.

"One of the parks, sir. We think it's the one close to the armour factory."

"Shit! Secluded and quiet. Ten to one it's empty now. Dwayne, hurry!" he said as he picked up speed. As they exited the HQ, several soldiers came running at them.

"John is armed, sir! He didn't turn in his weapons after the rescue op! What do we do, sir?"

"Surround the park and take aim."

As they reached the park, John stood looking over at a young girl, about fifteen years old, with red hair and shocking blue eyes. Judging by her movements, she was obviously yelling at John, but they were too far to hear. Behind her stood a busty young woman, about 20 years old, with black hair, and a very young girl, with brown hair tied into two ponytails. "Hurry!" Cross yelled. "Surround the park!"

As they stopped at the entrance, the soldiers quickly took up positions around the small park and trained their rifles on John. Cross started walking forward, followed by Dwayne, and the soldier who offered them help. "You might want to hang back, Hicks." Cross told him. "Keep your shotgun handy just in case."

"Sir." He replied.

Cross strode forward, as he did, he heard the girl named Meg speak:

"…still don't see why you have to be so mean to her!" she yelled.

"That bitch deserves much more than that." John bit back. "To tell you the truth, I was literally _praying_ that she'd die in Intensive Care."

"You're…You…How can you be so heartless?!?" Meg yelled.

"I take after her." John grinned.

"You're a monster!" Meg yelled.

"You should know exactly what one is, since you dream of fucking one each night." John growled, narrowing his eyes. "Such a pity you'll never be able to make that dream reality… You're too stupid, and she's too heartless. I'm surprised she hasn't killed you yet. You _know_ that's what she was made to do…"

Meg gasped, as the black-haired woman behind her drew her gun. "That's enough!" she said sternly. As she aimed, more than thirty red dots appeared all over her body. As she looked around, she saw that very soldier had his rifle trained on her.

"You might want to holster your gun, Sei." Cross informed her. "Loose cannon or not, John is still one of us. You're not. We _will_ shoot you if it's necessary."

"Didn't you just hear what he said?" Sei said angrily as the young girl with pigtails comforted a crying Meg behind her. "That was uncalled for!"

"Meg starting the argument in the first place was uncalled for." Cross replied. "It's her fault for picking a fight with him after countless warnings not to do so."

Accepting defeat, Sei holstered her gun, and the red dots vanished and reappeared on John's body. Cross looked over to him. "Why didn't you turn in your weapons?"

"Didn't feel like it." John growled.

"I don't care whether you _feel_ like it or not. I gave every soldier who went on the op the order to turn in their rifles. They're _all_ done for the day. That includes you."

"Listen to your boss, freak!" the young girl with pigtails suddenly yelled, letting go of Meg.

"Hush, Amy." Sei told her as she pulled her back. Cross shot the trio a stern look, then turned back to John.

"Go to the armoury and turn in your weapons. _Now._ Dwayne," he turned to the ex-gangster. "Accompany him and see that it gets done. You three." He turned to the trio of girls. "You are not to come within a mile of him. If I find you messing around with him again, I'll have you shot. You're supposed to be watching over Meg's girlfriend in the hospital. Hicks, escort them there now, then report to Dana for your next assignment. I'm gonna have a word with Alex at the Comms tower."

"Sir. If you ladies will follow me." The soldier behind him said, as he stalked off, followed by Meg, Sei and Amy. Cross turned to the Comms tower, and started walking. _This shit is going too far,_ he thought. _If Dana didn't inform me of the situation, things would've gotten out of hand. Fast. Something must be done._

------------------------------------_**COMMS TOWER**_------------------------------------

"Speak up, Robert. What's troubling you?" Alex Mercer's cold voice came over the radio. "Are John and Jo at it again? She's supposed to be in I.C.U."

"No sir. This time, Meg started her shit." Cross replied. Dwayne Hughes stood behind him.

"Again?"

"Yeah." Dwayne spoke up. "She started goin' off at John about how heartless he was and all that shit. If we's didn't get dere, them bitches woulda died."

"I see." Alex stated, followed silence.

"Sir?" Cross inquired.

"How much longer before Jo is up and running again?" Alex asked.

"About three days."

"Da fuck she is!" Dwayne announced. "No normal person can get capped nine times, in vital spots like dat, an' walk three days later, as if nuthin' happened!"

"Jo isn't normal, Dwayne." Cross dryly informed him.

"The business at hand, you two." Alex said over the radio. "I'll be back later. I have a solution to this. Has John already assigned Lucy and her family guards?"

"As we speak, sir." Cross replied. "Seager is also insisting he's better. He wants to go back into the field."

"Seager…" Alex replied. "I don't know. He's a broken man… Appoint him as one of the family's guards. I'll speak with him when I get back."

"Sir."

"I take it GenTek's Superhind is out of action?"

"Yes sir." Cross replied. "The Hind is down, in our hangars. Some of the soldiers who ambushed our men in Yokohama showed their faces. They're all dead now."

"S.A.T?"

"No sir. These guys are special. Much more combat-ready than the S.. They carried Warsaw Pact armaments. AK47s, RPDs, SVD Sniper Rifles, the works. All custom built. We have them here in our armoury, as well as the remains of the Jeeps they used."

"Can the Hind still function?"

"With some work. Our aviation mechanics are working on it as we speak."

"This is great news, Captain. That Hind was a prototype. If we fix it, good for us. If we clone it, even better. What's the status on the family?"

"Some of them got really lucky, sir. Others, not so much." Cross answered as he opened a folder he was holding. "Okay, Nana, otherwise known as Diclonius Number 07. Lost her arms and legs some time ago, now uses her vectors to manoeuvre prosthetic limbs. Now sitting with a moderate concussion. One of the lucky ones, sir. Reports say "Silpelit". What does that mean, sir?"

"It's a load of bullshit Kakuzawa made up so certain Diclonii can see sense. Those kept high on morphine and other drugs, who can't remember fragments of their lives, making it seem short, as well as other who are generally defective. Truly just means the subject is useless or incorrectly developed. What about the rest?"

"Kouta. The only male in the "family". Apparently Lucy k…"

"Killed his family when they were kids. I know that. I gathered memories from people who chased her that day. Next."

"Well, it seems he's one of those sensitive male types, preferring reason over brawn. Showed signs of quite a few phobias during the chase. Very easily shocked or traumatised as a result of said past events. He cares greatly about every member of the family, although his affections seem to be towards Lucy. Got away with whiplash and an anxiety attack in the chopper. Flatlined a few times in I.C.U. Possible signs of a weak heart. Apparently, one of the scouts in the sniper teams sent to observe them reports that he "promised to protect her, and fight anyone who comes after her", after we intercepted GenTek's recordings from the bugs in their house."

"Good kid. Who else?"

"Yuka. Kouta's cousin, acts as a mother figure to Nana and the other infant, Mayu. Noted to be overly possessive, demanding and violent. Possibly incestuous. She's smitten on her cousin, but he cares too much about Lucy to notice. She suffered a broken nose and dislocated leg, which were fixed quite easily."

"Sounds like we'll have to keep an eye on her. She could be trouble. What about the other infant?"

"Mayu. Nana's best friend. Repeatedly raped by her stepfather. Her mother blamed her for it, and she decided to run away. Seems she was homeless for quite a while. Very affectionate towards her dog, which ran away when the helicopter attacked. Noted to be very shy and introverted. She suffered a small crack in her left leg, which should be fully healed in about a day, and a compound fracture in her right arm."

"Keep an eye on her too. If she was put through such a childhood, chances are that dog was her only company when she was homeless. If necessary, dispatch a small search party to find it once you get a description from her. What about Lucy?"

"I think she suffered the most…"

"As always…"

"She got shot seven times with a fifty calibre machinegun, and did up some more injuries at the bridge. Let's see…uh…three broken ribs, cracked kneecap, broken shin, mass internal bleeding, heavy concussion, seems to be suffering of a busted eardrum, and a puncture to her stomach caused by a steel rod. Doctors note abnormal healing rates, foresee her walking again in about four days. Possibly less."

"Jesus…" Dwayne said. "I thought I was godly with my powers. Dese here chicks, Jo and Lucy, they's fuckin' superior. Second to Dana, dat is. _Scary_ chick, dat one. No offense, bro."

"None taken. Do you require a brief on your next mission?" Alex asked. "Or has Dana already filled you in?"

"No, she hasn't, sir." Cross replied.

"Okay then. Kakuzawa has been milking his investors for more money, to fuel an old project I worked on with him. However, his investors _don't_ know that the serum they use on these soldiers unhinges them, driving insane. Turn them into killing machines. Their bodies and skeletal structures mutate as well."

"The Hunter Project?" Cross asked

"Da what?" Dwayne asked, confused.

"A project Alex oversaw to create supersoldiers. Serum went South, men turned to monsters, project was dropped." Cross informed him. "What does that have to do with this mission, Sir?"

"The investors believe this project is revolutionary. Fanatical over the upsides, ignorant of the downsides. Now, seeing as we have the weapons and outfit's of those GenTek guards, you two and John are going to take two other men and board the plane. Once you're in, you will disguise yourselves as the soldiers. There are security cams in the investors private area. He is American, representing most investors from the States. Now, the pilot is an old contact of mine who owes me a few favours. There are places in the plane where there are no cameras. You will change there. The pilot will give you each a parachute. All you have to do is find and kill the V.I.P, and make sure all the cameras see you."

"Bull SHIT!" Dwayne yelled. "I don' want S.W.A.T on my ass again! Had enuf o' dat on da streets. Dem assholes will send da Navy Seals after me!"

"S.W.A.T won't be on your case, dumbass!" Cross hissed. "They'll target GenTek."

"Huh?"

"Seeing as the pilot owes me, he'll make a copy of the tapes and exit the plane with you, where a Seaknight will pick you up. We forward the footage to the American investors…"

"…an' dey withdraw and cut all ties with GenTek!" Dwayne exclaimed.

"Genius." Cross sarcastically stated.

"That will cost GenTek a load of cash in turn, which means they'll have to drop the Hunter Project. At the same time, Dana will ambush a shipment of funds from Britain with the same motives. That way, both the U.S.A and U.K cut ties with GenTek, and they sit without cash to hire new guards or manufacture new weapons."

"Dat's over fifty years of knowledge for ya!" Dwayne exclaimed. "Dude's a fuckin' genius."

"Am I clear?" Alex asked.

"Crystal, sir." Cross and Dwayne replied.

"Good. Tell John to employ the family's guard before you move out. Dismissed." And the radio went silent.

"So we's gonna frame dem fools?" Dwayne asked.

"Yeah. Let's see them survive this. They're actually lucky. Alex could decide to do far worse."

"Meanin'?"

"He's employing Guerilla tactics now. The only reason he doesn't launch an all-out assaults on our targets is because GenTek have learned to operate mainly in places where it's extremely crowded. For example, according to Alex, they once tried to capture Lucy in a supermarket on payday."

"Imagine the chaos if our boys show dere faces. Our pistols are already enough to scare the shit outta Rambo. Yo Beretttas can easily make someone like da Terminator quake. Cap'n."

"Somehow you manage to make that sound very dull…." Cross stated dryly. "We should move out. Who are the survivors of Echo Team?"

"Uh…hang on…" Dwayne replied as he took out his PDA and quickly accessed a few files. "Ah. Here. Billy Vaughn, fifth year Spec Ops, ninth year Blackwatch. Plays the Team Demolitions boy. And then someone… hold on… aahhh, sum European Support Gunner. Can you pronounce that name?" he said, holding up the PDA.

Cross read the name, and frowned. "That's a Russian. Vladimir…uh…Pyotreski…I think…anyway, appears they're both able. They're with us on this. Inform them of their next assignment. I'll go speak to our 'femme fatales'. Wait by the Seaknight in landing bay four. We move out in four hours."

"An' what da hell should we do in dem four hours?"

"Does it look like I care?" Cross asked as he turned and left the room.

_Damn loon,_ Dwayne thought. _Well, le's go get dem other fools._

* * *

Kouta sat on the edge of his hospital bed with his hand over his neck. Whiplash really hurt. He glanced around the room. Mayu was awake, although a bit withdrawn again after finding out Wanta ran away. Nana was still randomly wincing because of her concussion. _She really should take it easy,_ he thought. _But knowing her, she won't. She's too concerned about Mayu now._ He glanced at Lucy. Most of the machines were gone now. But her panic attack the previous day had really scared him. She had been regaining consciousness more and more often as time went by, and full _un_consciousness didn't plague her that much anymore, but now she was fast asleep. Or so he thought… She hadn't been able to speak because of one of the machines, but that one was gone too now. He glanced at Yuka, who was still sour because of the bandage and gauss on her nose. _I think I'd better not say anything right now…_

"It looks horrible!" she wailed. "I look like an ogre!"

_Close guess,_ Kouta thought and chuckled to himself.

"And just _what_ is so funny?" Yuka asked, hands on her hips and a fierce expression on her face.

"U-Uh…nothing?" he guessed hopefully, with a weak smile on his face. This sudden… 'mishap' between them drew the attention of the two nurses at the door, as well as Nana and Mayu, whom had fell silent except for a restrained giggle here and there. Yuka's loud voice had woken Lucy up as well, but she only opened one eye slightly and glanced at the two. _Again?_ she thought, as she closed her eyes again. _This is the third time…What is wrong with that woman?_ Just then two people entered the ward. As everyone's attention turned to them, Kouta recognised one man. He had a type of cloth mask covering his mouth and nose, with a black headband with shades resting on it. He had black hair that looked like a smooth kind of dreadlock style, and was wearing a black shirt with a grey sleeveless jacket. _He's the one who helped Lucy when the helicopter chased us, _he realised.

"Hey there!" Nana and Mayu happily greeted the soldier.

"Ahoy." He responded. "Good to see you all up and running."

"I thought your lungs were damaged." Kouta inquired.

"It's only a scratch. Nothing serious."

"That's what he always says." The other man spoke up. This one was still in uniform, with what looked like a shotgun, from what he had seen in the movies, slung across his back. He turned to Kouta. "You should tell your girl to wake up." He said. "Steele's gonna be here any minute now, and word is he's got some important business to discuss."

"Who are you two?" Yuka suddenly interrupted as Kouta started tenderly calling Lucy.

"We're soldiers here, ma'am." The man with the shotgun replied. A slight groan could be heard from Lucy's bed, as she slowly sat up, clutching her head. "Welcome." A sarcastic growl came from the door. "Good to see you could join us."

"Huh?" Lucy responded as a man in his late thirties entered the room, with messy hair and a full beard, as well as a black trenchcoat. But the most shocking thing about this man was his eyes. His eyes were completely black, with solid red irises. "Hey!" Kouta exclaimed. "I remember you! You're the one who came with those other soldiers at the bridge, aren't you?"

"Yes. My name is Jonathan Steele. Beast to my co-workers. I'm a commando for this…_organisation_."

"And just what kind of organisation is this?" Kouta asked, becoming wary at the mention of an organisation.

"We are Blackwatch." John replied. "We specialise in biological warfare, and anything that ties to it. We've been in business here since about 2001. For now, we focus on fighting GenTek."

"Who are GenTek?" Lucy rasped again.

"The people who took your life away."

"W…What?!" Lucy responded, eyes widening.

"Does the name Kakuzawa ring a bell?"

As weak as she was, Lucy's fist tightened around the steel bar of her bed. _That man…_she thought. _That man made me suffer._ "Yes…" she replied. "It does."

"Well GenTek belongs to him. He took it control of it after his father was killed, and conducted experiments on people to find new ways to father a new race and become a god. Sorry if I'm being blunt, but I've got a busy schedule. What did they tell you in that facility? What did they lead you to believe?"

"They…" Lucy started, then cleared her throat. "They told me… They said I was destined to end humanity. That I was a queen to a new species chosen by God… or something along those lines." John quickly glanced at the dreadlocked soldier, who simply shrugged.

"There's no easy way to tell you this…" John sighed. "But I'm afraid everything they said were lies."

"Lies?" Lucy responded, showing signs of anger. "Everything…That I was meant to end humanity. That we were a new species…"

"All bullshit." The soldier with the dreadlocks replied.

"Lying is what Kakuzawa does best." John stated. "It's how he keeps investors. He makes it look like a skill. We don't know much yet, but we have two other Diclonii here too."

"You do?!?" Kouta asked. _More people like Lucy? Nana told us there's a few, but they were supposed to be in captivity!_

"Yes. We rescued them from Yokohama about four days ago. They were injured during the escape, but they're getting better now. Our top Doctor is going to be speaking with them, and then with you, when he gets back."

"Top doctor? Who's that?" Nana asked, quivering at the mention of a "top doctor" after her experience in the facility she was kept at.

"Alexander Mercer." John replied. "Unbelievable man. You'd have to see him to believe what he _really_ is. He's also the chairman of Blackwatch, although he's out most of the time."

"What will he do to us?" Nana asked again, getting really scared despite Mayu's best efforts to calm her down.

"He's only going to speak to you. Ask you a few questions. That's it."

Nana pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees, trying to calm down. Kouta looked like he could faint any second.

"Is that it?" Nana asked. "No machines or knives or things?"

"Nothing. I swear it." John answered. "Now, Dr Mercer keeps regular contact with the base. We've given him updates on all your conditions." He turned to Mayu. "He's even given the order to dispatch a small search party to find your dog."

"Really?" Mayu's face lit up instantly, as she started crying because of her newfound happiness.

"The holy truth." The soldier with dreadlocks spoke again.

"Now," John spoke up. "Lucy, you and Mayu should be able to be issued wheelchairs. Although, Lucy, you'll need to wait a bit longer because of the…"

"JOHN!" A woman in her mid twenties burst through the door.

"…drip." John finished. Then turned around to face the 'intruder'. "What do want, woman?"

"You're on assignment with Captain Cross and Dwayne. You need to report to the armoury to prep, then to Landing Bay 4 to inspect the chopper."

"Why the hell should I inspect it?" He growled.

"Because we're having trouble finding an operating crew. I'll finish up here. You should get going."

"Alright, alright. I'm going." he said. He turned to Kouta and the rest of the gang. "I'll see you all later." Then left. The two soldiers turned their attention back to the makeshift family and the girl who just barged in.

"Sorry about that." She said. "But the Captain can be a real hardass the day he wants to be. I'm Dana. Dana Mercer."

"Mercer? Are you related to the doctor?" Kouta asked.

"Yeah. I'm his sister." Dana replied. "Now, if I understand correctly, John just informed you about the search party for the dog, right?"

"And the wheelchairs." The soldier with the shotgun stated.

"Okay, now, Alex told me to let you know you have a choice now. You can decide to stay on the fortress, where residence will be provided for you, or you can go back and live on the land, in which case we'll supply you with the funds to buy a new home."

"What's wrong with the old one?" Kouta and Yuka asked in unison.

"That helicopter tore it down. That, and GenTek know where it is now. Either way, the choice is yours."

"We'll have to think about that." Kouta said. _It's not every day this happens. Why are these people being so kind?_

"Whatever the choice, Alex and the Captain came to the decision that you need to be under guard whenever you go back on land. That's what these two grunts are doing here." She pointed to the two soldiers. "They're you're bodyguards from now on. This one," she motioned to the soldier with the shotgun, "Is Aaron Hicks. He's a fourth year Blackwatch operative, and has turned down numerous promotions in order to work in the field. And this one," she pointed to the dreadlocked soldier, "is apparently no stranger to you. This is Ryan Seager. He's been here since he was 13, trained by my brother."

"I thought your brother was a Doctor?" Yuka interrupted.

"He's a lot of things." Hicks spoke up. "Things you're not gonna believe until you meet him."

"You make him sound like a god." Yuka stated.

"Haha. Never. Most gods in history are merciful, forgiving, and so on and so forth. Dr. Mercer… Get on his bad side and nothing can save you. He'll find you and tear you apart."

"That's my brother for you." Dana said. "You'll meet him soon enough." She turned to Seager and Hicks. "Orders clear?"

"Yes ma'am." They said.

"Good. I need to go now, important assignment. The wheelchairs are on their way. Once here, maybe these two should give you a tour of the fortress." She started walking towards the door. "Oh, by the way." She took a folder from the nurse's desk near the door and handed it to Kouta.

"What's this?" he asked, puzzled.

"That folder holds a lot of info for you and your family. Medical conditions, a summary of Blackwatch and GenTek, profiles of Hicks and Seager, a map of the island and discharge papers for those of you who are off now. Later." With that, Dana walked off, leaving a very puzzled family in her wake.

"This could be helpful." Kouta stated, examining the brown folder in his hands. "Sure is nice of them to give us this."

"Yeah, it'll save us a lot of unnecessary trouble." Yuka stated. "Now, why don't you open it and let us see what's inside?"

Kouta was at the verge of opening the dossier when he glanced at Lucy and noticed the look of surprise and shock she had on her features. _Must be hard news to hear you were lied to all your life._ He held the folder out to Yuka. "Take it. You take a look and tell me what you find, okay?"

"Uh…okay…" Yuka said as she took the folder. Kouta stood up and walked to Lucy's bed. As he came closer, he could see her shaking slightly. "Lucy?" he said as he placed his hand on hers. "Are you okay?"

"For so long…" she replied. "For so long, I was told I only existed to kill. To end all life. Now…I find out…" Tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I find out it could have been a lie…" Her hands tightened their hold on her sheets, as the tears fell from her face onto it.

"It's okay, Lucy." Kouta said as he took her into an embrace. "Forget what they told you. It doesn't matter anymore. We're safe here."

"That's not the point!" Lucy cried, as sobs started escaping her. "I made peace with that… the fact that I had to kill… and I kept killing… because of what I believed… now… now…." She was cut off as more sobs escaped, making her tears flow faster than ever. "Now I know… I took lives for no reason!" she started sobbing again.

Kouta didn't know what to say. It was bad enough that the guilt of what she did to _him_ kept plaguing her. Now all those other people are getting to her as well. By now, everyone in the room was looking at them, but he couldn't care less. "You were tricked, Lucy. It wasn't entirely your fault." He said, tears starting to form in his eyes too.

"I'm still the one who killed them…" Lucy said between sobs.

"Ssh…Calm down, Lucy. Please. It wasn't all your fault…."

They sat like that for about half an hour, before Lucy cried herself to sleep. Everyone except Hicks and Seager, even Kouta, was crying as well. Then Seager spoke up. "You're one in a few, kid."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kouta asked, setting Lucy down and covering her again, while wiping tears from his eyes.

"This is only the third time in my life that I've seen a Diclonius let a normal person treat them like that. The rest are all either mentally cripple or impossibly violent, because of what GenTek put them through. You must be very special to her. I noticed that during the chase."

"You're more than just a normal grunt, aren't you?" Yuka inquired.

"Much more. But at the same time, much less…" he said as he walked to the door. "Let's just say I meant it when I said it was 'just a scratch'. Hicks and I will be waiting in reception for you. You should have time to decide about Blackwatch's offer. Till then." He bade them goodbye with a wave, and left, followed by Hicks and the two nurses.

Kouta looked at Lucy again. _Her past is starting to get to her,_ he thought sadly._ She's going to need all the support she can get to make it through this. If she can't…_ He shuddered as the thought crossed his mind.

"Kouta? Kouta!" Yuka's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Mayu's wheelchair is here. Help me to get her in."

"…okay. Hold on, I'll be there in a sec."

--------------------------------------_**SEVEN HOURS LATER**_---------------------------

_Jesus,_ Cross thought as he entered the higher command's quarters on the top floor of the central HQ. _That was intense…_ He glanced over to the couch, where Alicia was sleeping soundly. _I need to think of joining admin.… skydiving isn't exactly that great…_

"Enjoy your flight?" a cold voice came from behind him.

"Ah!" Cross jumped. "Alex…How did you…?"

"Alicia let me in. Appears she trusts me now. I assume everything went smoothly?"

"Yes sir. The plane is gone, but the pilot is safe and the footage is being forwarded to each of GenTek's big investors as we speak. Have you spoken to the Diclonii yet?"

"Yes. They revealed some interesting information, but that's not what I'm here for." Cross raised an eyebrow. "Seager reported to me after John bluntly informed Lucy about her life."

"The fact that she's been lied to for her whole life. And knowing John, he just went and spit it out, no doubt…"

"Yes. As always." Alex stated. "Now, Lucy is going to find out Mariko is here sooner or later. We can't risk putting the young girl up for adoption for fear of GenTek finding out, but we can't keep her here if she and Lucy are going to go at each other."

"I take it you've formulated a plan to keep the two apart?" Cross inquired.

"Of course. But it involves you and John." Alex replied.

"John? Are you serious?" Cross asked. "John as in, our Beast, John?"

"Yes. His… _gift_ is potent enough to withstand their vectors. But he's plan B. I'm keeping him handy, should you fail."

"You have that little confidence in me?" Cross asked dryly.

"It's not that I don't trust you." Alex said. "I don't trust my own knowledge on the Diclonius. There's much we have yet to learn about what GenTek did to them."

"So, to sum it up, if those two start fighting, I need to separate them? Like some kind of caretaker? This is why you pulled me from the field!? To play some kind of warden who needs to keep two inmates from tearing each other's throats out!?" Cross argued.

"We've discussed this before. You're one of few people on this island who can separate them if they get into a fight. I'm not going to repeat myself. Besides, I doubt it's safe for any of you to be out in the field."

"Why not?" Cross asked.

"Just trust my word on this, Robert." Alex said blankly.

Cross sighed. "You realise you're in a situation now, right?"

"Why do you say that?"

"You promised Nathan Riggs you'd take care of _her_, and now you've promised Kurama you'll take care of Mariko. How are you gonna protect them from each other?"

"I have as solution. But for now…"

"Alex!" Dana burst through the door of the quarters, panting slightly. "Jo wants to see you. She just woke up. She's still a bit out of it, but I can tell she's quite aware."

"Are the rest of her friends there?"

"Yeah. Meg's in seventh heaven since Jo woke up, and Sei is still a bit shaken after what Cross told her."

"Ha. So much for headstrong leader." Cross exclaimed.

Alex stood up and started towards the door. "Dana," he said. "Assemble a team to wait for the squad we sent to Yokohama to assault the building. They report that they've taken down the anomaly there and are bringing it back to base."

"Okay. Will do." Dana replied, as she stood up left the quarters. Alex turned to Cross. "You might want to make yourself known to the family. I'm sure they're dying for an explanation."

"Sir." He said.

With that, all three left the office and went in different directions. As Alex walked, he thought to himself. _So, she's awake. Now it's only a matter of time before she's up and running again. John's also itching to use his abilities. My solution to their feud may be harsh, but it's the only way to make them stop. I just hope they don't kill each other…yet._

* * *

"Why do I have to go?" Nana wailed. "This bed is nice…"

The rest of the family could only chuckle at her little 'tantrum'. Since Nana had discovered the functions of the bed, it was hard getting her to stand up. Even Lucy had a small smile on her lips. Her attitude to Kouta and the rest had changed a lot since she was reunited with them. Even Yuka didn't have to suffer her dreaded 'Killer Eyes' anymore.

"And I promise the bed we'll have when we get to our rooms will be even nicer." Mayu tried to convince her. After what happened at the inn, and the chase, they had decided it better to accept this Dr. Mercer's offer to stay on the island. Mayu and Yuka nearly lost it when Dwayne appeared and told them they'd be getting rooms for V., like investors and scientists. But Nana and Lucy clearly didn't understand the term.

"What does V.I.P mean?" Nana asked Kouta.

"It stands for very important person. People of very high standards and status."

"Does that mean we're important?" Nana suddenly chimed, excitement showing on her face.

"Apparently, to this Doctor, we are." Kouta said.

"Great to see you all up and running." A voice came from the door. They all turned and saw a man in his late thirties entered. He had a stern face, and dark brown hair with a white streak down the middle. "According to what Seager told me, some of you were still a bit out of it when they were introduced."

"Yeah. Sorry about that." Kouta replied. "If I may ask, sir, who are you?"

"Captain Robert Cross." The man replied. "Second in command here. Now I understand there are some things that are still a bit unclear to you. If you need any help, you can ask me if I'm near, or Seager and Hicks."

"Could we ask some now?" Yuka asked.

"I don't see why not." Cross replied. "Fire away."

"How did that helicopter dodge my vectors?" Lucy asked.

"Dr. Mercer has a theory that the invisibility trait's of a Diclonius' vectors are useless when monitored with ultraviolet light or thermal imaging."

"Meaning?"

"Silhouettes of your vectors will become clearly visible when UV lights are shone on them, like you saw during the chase. Apparently Kakuzawa knew this long before him."

"And what about the other gadget?" Kouta inquired.

"Vectors are also visible if you observe a Diclonius through thermal imaging, or _heat vision_, as it's called. The vectors will be a mix of green and cyan in colour, while body heat is displayed in the normal mix of red and orange."

"So those bright lights on the helicopter were UV?" Lucy inquired.

"Yes. And judging by the remains, it seems the pilot had access to thermal imaging as well." Cross stated.

"Earlier, one of the doctors told me that the people at that facility, the ones who told me I was destined to end humanity…" Lucy paused to recollect herself again. "Lied. They said it was all a story."

"It was." Cross replied gravely. "The Director of GenTek has a strong desire to play God. The Diclonii aren't a new human species. That's all I can say for sure. You'll have to consult Dr. Mercer for further clarification. Anything else?"

"Yes." Mayu said sheepishly. "Have you…uh…"

"No need to finish that, Kid." Seager spoke up as he entered the room with a small white puppy sitting in his arms, barking happily.

"Wanta!" Mayu cried happily as Seager set the puppy down on her lap. It immediately sprang up and started licking her face, making her laugh and cry and the same time.

"Wha…Where did you find her?" Kouta asked, shocked yet at the same time happy that Mayu was smiling again.

"Near the ruins of the house." Seager replied. "Thought we'd go check there first. I see you're all up and running."

"Yeah." Kouta replied. "It took a while for the wheelchairs to get here, though."

"Thought so." Cross stated. "Unfortunately they were all occupied. We had to order more. So have you decided on Dr. Mercer's offer?"

"Yes. We think it'd be better if we stay here. If it's okay." Kouta replied.

"Great. I'll have your rooms organised immediately. Meanwhile, you should take a look around the fortress at the recreational facilities we have. I'm sure Seager can be your guide on this."

"Yeah, why not." Seager responded. "You guys ready? I bet you're sick of this ward already."

"Yes, we are." Kouta replied, taking hold of the handles on Lucy's wheelchair while Yuka took Mayu's.

"Just one last thing, if you plan on touring the hospital, Dr. Mercer is here, tending to one of our other patients. You should ask Seager to explain her situation to you before going around that area." Cross stated.

"Will do." Kouta replied. _Other patient?_ He thought. _Could it be someone like Lucy?_

As they left the ward, Seager asked them which part of the fortress they'd like to see first. "Definitely this other patient." Kouta, Lucy and Nana said in unison. "What needs to be explained about her?"

"Dr Mercer especially called me in about her, and how to explain it to you. The Diclonii weren't the only 'new humanity' GenTek made. They tried to make another 'species' before the Diclonii. Known an Genocide Angels, these girls were taken from their parents when they were born, and fed some bullshit story that they were war machines. Bio-weapons. Anyhow, the parents were killed, while the girls were raised in a world even an adult shouldn't experience. Days were spent training, night were spent studying. We have two on the fortress now. One, named Alicia, is in the care of the Captain. She is a very rare case, apparently one of the higher-ups of GenTek took a liking to her and postponed her first kill."

"They're forced to kill there?" Yuka asked, horrified.

"Afraid so." Seager responded. "Now, Alicia hasn't fought for her survival yet, and according to Cross, she won't. _Ever._ The other one, Jo, wasn't so lucky. She was forced to kill from a very young age. This makes her appear very cold and heartless, she doesn't show any emotion apart from anger and the occasional blush caused by her girlfriend."

"Girlfriend? She's…"

"I doubt she grasps the meaning of that word yet." Seager hastily interrupted. "But Meg really carries on like it. She's the only person Jo actually cares about. Also, she doesn't share a very…_calm_ relationship with Steele. Something about their past."

"But what makes them similar to us?" Lucy asked.

"The Genocide Angels each own a unique tattoo on their bodies. When this appears, they become stronger. Better fighters. But they also go batshit crazy. That, and they're all stoic killers."

"So their tattoos are similar to our vectors and horns?" Lucy asked.

"They serve the same purpose. Now Jo was injured when we sent her to rescue two other Diclonii. She woke up now, but doesn't remember shit. That's why Alex is with her now. He made a discovery about the Genocide Angels after taking skin samples from Jo and Alicia. I have a suspicion he's telling her now. There's a two way mirror we can stand behind and listen in. This way." Seager said, as he turned into a hallway that was lined with hospital wards, nurse counters, and all that jazz. He lead them down that hall, till he came to a pair of blast doors. "This is where they keep patients of high importance. You guys were in here when you got here." He told Kouta, as he quickly punched in a code to open the doors. "If you'll follow me."

They walked down the large hallway, and turned right after about a minute of walking. A few minutes later, they stopped at two doors right next to each other. "This one," Seager said, pointing at the left door, "is the ward. And the one next to it is the room where we can look in." He quickly punched in another code, and the right door opened. "Guests first." He said, motioning with his hand for them to go in.

They followed a ramp going up, then came to the room Seager spoke about. A few chairs stood arranged near a window, with space for wheelchairs. As they took their seats, they looked down into the ward, and the woman Seager spoke about. She had short, silver hair and crimson eyes, similar to Lucy's. She was sitting upright in bed, with a younger girl, about fifteen, with red hair and blue eyes holding her hand. Behind her stood to other women, one about twelve with pigtails and the other around twenty with black hair. Across the four girls, sat a man who immediately caught Lucy's attention. He was wearing a dark jean, with black leather shoes and a white hoodie, covered by a dark brown leather jacket. _I know you…_ Lucy thought, before a pain shot through her head, making her groan.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" Kouta asked, kneeling next to her.

"I'm fine." She replied. "Just a headache."

"Okay, I'm going to switch on the speakers now." Seager said, and flipped a switch on the wall. Immediately a voice came into the room, and they saw it came from the girl with the silver hair.

"…still don't understand. What exactly happened, Alex?"

"We sent you to save two other Diclonii in Yokohama, Jo, but one of the soldiers betrayed us. Other GenTek operatives came onto the scene, and killed Alpha and Bravo team."

"And I got hit as well?" Jo asked.

"Yes." The man named Alex replied. "You and Dwayne both. John's the only one who made it out without injury."

"Go figure." Jo replied. "But you said they came after me with heavy weaponry. Why am I still alive?"

"John interfered." Alex replied.

"Ha. I almost thought you were serious." The young girl holding Jo's hand piped up.

"He is, Meg." A voice sounded from the door, as Captain Cross entered the room. "John confessed it to me himself."

"Why would he save me?" Jo asked, a slight hint of confusion on her face. "I thought he hated me."

"He did." Cross replied. "He still does. He told me he only saved you so _he _could kill you later. Anyway, I heard you were looking for me, sir?"

"Yes." Alex replied. "This concerns both Alicia and Jo. I thought since you act as her guardian, you should be here too. You all need to hear this. Jo, I suggest you lay back down." He turned to Cross. "Take a seat, Captain."

"What going on?" The dark haired woman behind Meg spoke up.

"I just finished analyzing the skin samples I got from Jo and Alicia. It's not very comforting news. That's why I suggest you all sit down."

"Sei, he's scaring me." The young girl with pigtails told the dark haired woman.

"Hush, Amy." Sei responded. "Just do as he says and sit down."

"You all ready?" Alex asked.

When everyone in the room nodded their heads, he started speaking. "It's about your tattoo, Jo. This also counts for Alicia." He said as glanced at Cross. "I've done a few test on the skin samples, and I've found that your tattoos aren't tattoos at all."

"Heh?" Seager piped up in the little observation room.

"What do you mean?" Jo asked, starting to sit up again.

Without saying a word, Alex raised a small remote and hit one of the buttons. Behind them, on a screen, an image of what look like a small machine with a storage tank in the centre. "What's that?" Meg asked.

"A nanobot." Alex replied. "Your tattoo consists of about a million of these, maybe more."

"What are they doing on my arm?" Jo asked.

"When anxiety levels in your body reach their peak, the little bots work in unison to inject a drug into your bloodstream. The injection process causes small LEDs on the nanobots to light up, making the 'tattoo' they form, glow."

"But it looks like this drug is good!" Meg piped up. "I mean, Jo can't lose a fight when the tattoo starts glowing."

"It seems so to me too, Sir." Cross stated. "Nearly every mission we send Jo on is a success, especially when these nanobots become visible."

"There are upsides and downsides to everything, Captain." Alex answered. "True, this drug enhances their combat abilities, as well as their senses, but the adrenaline rush it brings on also causes them to lose a sense of rationality. They can't think straight. That's what causes their success. They only think of defeating their opponent, no matter what the cost. I think Jo can bear witness to that."

"Then why doesn't Alicia grow violent when the nanobots on her body become visible?" Cross asked.

"I had the tech department check out the few bytes of memory these things have. Apparently, seeing as Alicia has a newer version of the nanobots, they can try to manually activate the bots. But seeing as anxiety levels are still normal, the drug has no effect. No increased pulse, no better combat abilities, nothing." Alex said.

"This guy sounds like a genius." Kouta said. "He sure speaks like one."

"You haven't heard anything yet..." Seager assured him.

"So is that the only bad thing about this drug?" Jo asked.

"Unfortunately not." Alex replied gravely. "This is something that's going to affect you the most, Jo. You and your friends will have to decide what's best for you. This is where you need to lay down, or find something to hang on to."

"Alex, you're scaring me." Meg said, looking extremely worried. "What's going on?"

"The drug increases the user's heart rate, causing large quantities of adrenaline to be released into the body. But because of the increased, and obviously abnormal heart rate, the user's heart will get exhausted over time and give in." Alex said.

Mayu gasped, and Yuka shuddered. Jo's eyes widened a bit, and her grip on her sheets tightened. "What are you saying, Alex?" she demanded.

"I'm saying that unless we do something to remove the bots, the drug is going to kill you."

This time it was Meg's turn to clasp her hand over her mouth, as tears started welling up in her eyes. The young girl named Amy started crying as the girl named Sei hugged her, tears starting to form in her own eyes. Jo just laid there, loosening her grip on her sheets. "How long?" she asked. "How long before…"

"Three months." Alex said, with no trace of emotion in his voice. Jo closed her eyes, as everyone around her except the Captain and Alex hardly tried to contain their tears.

"Is…Is the situation the same with Alicia?" Cross inquired.

"No. Fortunately not. She's not entirely dependent on it yet, and the bots haven't solidly attached to her body yet. That's why her tattoo appears silver instead of dark grey, like the new ones should"

As Cross heaved a sigh of relief, Meg spoke through her sobs. "Isn't there anything you can do…to stop it?"

"We can remove the nanobots, but it's a very long and painful procedure. Then she'll also have to deal with the withdrawal symptoms, seeing as her addiction levels to the drug are quite high. Either way, she's in for a lot of suffering, and the damage that's already done to her heart may be permanent. Withdrawal symptoms range from quivering and nightmares to spasms and loss of consciousness, so you all have to decide on this together. Seeing her in a state of withdrawal might be…_unpleasant_."

"But she'll live? If she goes in for the op?" Sei asked.

"Yes. It'll just take her a while to get back to her full strength. Her fighting skills will remain unchanged, but she won't be able to count on any adrenaline rushes to help up her game. That's a rather big threat seeing as John is also on the island. That decision is up to you." He turned to Cross. "The operation will take less of a toll on Alicia. It'll also be over much faster than Jo's, so you should start explaining this to her."

"Sir." Cross replied. Just as he stood up, a group of nurses and doctors entered the ward. "What's going on?" the Captain demanded.

"Jo's been in this care unit for four days. She's being moved to a normal ward, she doesn't need this facility any longer."

"Says who?" Cross demanded.

"Me." Alex replied. "You can see for yourself, she's getting better." He glanced at Jo. "She actually walked a few steps yesterday. She may have been out of it then, but she still walked. She doesn't need Intensive Care anymore. We're moving her to High Care." He turned to the doctors. "Carry on."

"Can we go too?" Meg asked, wiping the tears from her eyes as Jo's bed was pushed from the ward.

"Why are you even asking?" Alex replied with a faint smile. "Get going."

Meg's eyes lit up. "Thanks, Alex!" she cried as she left the ward, followed by Sei and Amy. As Alex prepared to leave, Cross spoke up. "Sir?"

"What?" Alex replied, turning to face the Captain.

"How do you think Lucy is going to react when she hears Mariko is still alive?"

"Oh…shit." Seager said. "Uh…well…time to go!" he quickly moved to flip the switch on the wall again when his hand was stopped. He turned to Lucy. "Hey! That ain't fair!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucy asked, throwing her trademark 'Death Glare' in Seager's direction, her voice carrying two coats of venom.

"I didn't know. I just found out myself. I'm not a higher-up here. I'm also kept in the dark. Now, for fuck's sakes, let g…" He was interrupted when a cold voice came from the door: "That's enough, Lucy. He didn't know." Alex Mercer stood in the doorway, with Captain Cross behind him. _So fast…_ Lucy thought, her grip on Seager's arm weakening.

"Finally! Someone shows up to save _my_ ass." Seager piped, before turning to Lucy. "Let go, dammit!"

"If you want someone to question now," Alex interrupted, "Question me. I'm the one who kept it a secret. Not him."

"Guess that's fair enough." Lucy growled as all four of her vectors shot at Alex.

"That's an old trick." he scoffed as four small areas on his body turned into a mass of red and black, as four tendrils shot out and wrapped around her vectors.

"Wha…" Lucy stuttered, as silhouettes of her vectors became visible.

"What…What the hell are you?" Kouta nearly screamed, horrified at what the good doctor turned out to be.

"Call her off, and we can speak like civilised people." Alex replied coldly. "There is no need for this."

Lucy turned to Kouta, who simply nodded in turn, and her vectors went limp. At the same time, the black and red tendrils that had a hold on them released their grip, and the vectors became invisible once more. "Much better." Alex replied.

"Excuse me, doctor." Kouta piped up. "Just who..or _what_ are you?"

"My name is Alexander Mercer." He replied. "As to what I am…that's a story for another time."

"Why?" Lucy suddenly asked.

"You've already received some shocking news today. I doubt more will do you much good."

"How…what…How does what you are affect me?!?" Lucy said loudly, frustration evident in her voice. "I've been told a lot of things since I came here, things that I never imagined. But those weren't the full stories!"

"I understand that you're a bit frustrated at this. I can complete some of the stories for you, but this isn't the place to do so. Might I suggest that you meet me in the higher command quarters in about an hour?" Alex asked. "I need to go check up on the other Diclonii here too, and I need to speak to Jo again about something."

"What about Mariko?" Lucy growled at him.

"She's fine for now.." Alex replied. "I'm really pressed for time here. Like I said, if you and the boy come to my personal quarters in an hour, I'll do my best to shed some light on the situations that are troubling you."

"Why can't we come?" Yuka suddenly demanded.

"You only pose as a makeshift family. The boy is much closer to Lucy than you are. The less people I need to explain to, the less trouble I go through. I only intend to brief the people who matter, and with all due respect, you don't."

Yuka frowned. "We've been more to her than you know!" She said loudly. "How could you possibly say we don't matter now!?"

"What I intend to tell them has to do with Lucy's past." Alex replied. "A past you don't know anything about."

"Neither does Kouta!"

"That's where you're mistaken." Alex's voice lost some it's coldness, but still showed no emotion. "They knew each other when they were kids. I'm sure he remembered that after the night she tried to leave." He turned to Kouta. "Don't you?"

"How…How did you know?"

"I'll explain in an hour." Alex said, as he turned to leave. "Captain," he turned to Cross. "You might want to take over the tour they're taking. You're far more capable of handling her vectors." With that, he left.

"Hey, wait!" Lucy yelled, to no avail.

"He's gone, Kid." Seager spoke. "Fast little devil, that guy."

"Don't worry, Lucy." Cross spoke. "I know him. He's not someone to break a promise. It's only an hour."

"You have no idea how long that hour is going to be…" Lucy said, lowering her head so her hair fell over her eyes again.

_That man is different, _Kouta thought. _He's not normal. But somehow I get the feeling he knows Lucy better than we think…_

"Shall we continue?" Cross asked. "Or should I take you to your rooms?"

"No. No, we're okay." Kouta answered, taking Lucy's wheelchair again. "We need _something_ to pass the time." _I guess the only option we have now is to trust this…organisation. If they're fighting the people who made Lucy suffer so much, they can't be all bad…_

---------------------------------_**ABOUT AN HOUR LATER…**_--------------------------

"Are you sure this is the best option you can come up with, Alex?" Dana inquired. Mariko was sleeping soundly on the couch they were sitting on, her head resting on Dana's lap.

"It is." He replied, quickly hitting a few buttons on the computer in his personal quarters, waiting for the needed data to show. He glanced at Dana and Mariko. 'You two have grown quite close in an hour…" He stated.

"Hey, I'm good with kids. Thanks to you, this is as close as I'll get to one of my own." She bit back.

"Poor you…" Alex mocked her. "Jo will be up and running in about two days. I already spoke to John. He agreed instantly. Jo accepted as well. Should thank God Meg wasn't there when I spoke to her. I don't need unnecessary complications. Ah, here it is." He said as an image of what appeared to be a deceased woman appeared in front of him, with a kind of biography next to the photo. "You remember we spoke about Maria?"

"The other Genocide Angel?" Dana asked. 'Yeah, I remember her. Why is she important?"

"She seems to show similar trait's to Jo. Only her personality differs. She's more…how to say, _twisted_."

Suddenly the radio sounded. "Sir, there's someone…"

"Alex!" The door of his would-be office burst open, and Meg stormed in. "You need to go speak to Jo!"

"Why would I _need _to do that?" he replied with a bored expression.

"I think she's delusional. She just said something about challenging that other Beast guy when she's better!"

"I know she said that." Alex replied, making a confused look spread across Meg's features. "I convinced her to do it."

"What!?" Meg suddenly cried, enraged. "Why would you do that!?"

"Their feud has cost us more lives than you can think of. I won't sit back and watch it sink this organisation. Not after everything I went through to secure it."

"But she could die!"

"So could John. They both know what the risks are, and they accepted regardless."

"But why didn't you consult me?" Meg yelled, making Mariko stir. She immediately lowered her voice. "Don't we matter now?"

"No." he replied immediately, making a vein burst in Meg's forehead.

"Why the hell not?!?"

"This has to do with their past. You don't exactly know what happened, so you have no say in anything regarding it."

"What did she do that takes this feud to such a high level that you would suggest a fight?!?" she demanded.

"I have no intention of breaking that to you. Go ask Jo. She might be a bit more willing to tell you now than she normally is."

"Why would that be?" Meg asked, now more confused than angry.

"You would also reveal your past if you knew you were going to die in three months. Basic psychological discovery."

"Die!? You said she could live!" Meg whined loudly, making Mariko stir again.

"That's not the point!" Alex hissed softly. "Just go ask her. If she still won't tell, I will. Now, you'll have to leave. I'm expecting some… _visitors_."

"You promise you'll tell me?" Meg asked with a child-like expression.

"I do." He replied. With that, Meg happily turned on the spot and left the quarters. Alex turned to Dana. "You'd best leave too. Lucy's reactions are random at best. We don't know how she'll respond if she sees Mariko."

"Okay. Let me know when you're done, 'kay?"

"Sure."

Dana slowly woke Mariko, making her utter a small groan. "Is something wrong, Dana?"

"Afraid so." She responded. "We need to go. Lucy's coming."

"She still doesn't like me, does she?" Mariko asked.

"We don't know yet." Alex replied.

"Now, we need to go, Mariko." Dana quickly stated. "I'll help you into your wheelchair."

After a few minutes, Mariko was steadily seated in her wheelchair, and the two left while making conversation. _God knows what made her so different,_ Alex thought. _But she was still wronged, just like the rest. I can't keep still like this._ His hand tightened into a fist. _The longer I'm out there, the more memories I can get, the closer I come to finding GenTek's main facility._ He chuckled. _I always knew they wouldn't fully trust me. That's an American's life for you… Nathan suffered the same way… _His expression dulled as painful memories, his own memories, came to view.

----------------------------------_**FLASHBACK**_------------------------------------------

Thunder and lightning dominated the skies as he glanced through the windows. He turned his attention back to the briefing document in his hands. It read:

_Special Assault Team Mission #3357_

_Search and Destroy_

_Team members and Positions:_

_Alexander Mercer – General informant, Secondary Captain_

_Hishiro Tanaki – Primary Captain_

_Nathan Riggs – Support Gunner 1_

_Tomo Gataki – Support Gunner 2_

_Neela Gataki – Medic_

_Hitaka Tomonobu – Grunt_

_Shirobi Kansu – Grunt_

_Ken Kataku – Grunt_

_Han Takanu – Sniper_

_At approximately 07h00, Intel confirmed three renegade Code Zero-9's, running rampant near the outskirts of Tokyo. Targets are armed and extremely dangerous. Combat plans 3, 4, 6 and 29 are recommended. Wanted dead at any costs…_

"…can't wait for this!" One of the grunts enthusiastically cried. "Finally, a real mission!"

"Shut it, Ken." Captain Tanaki piped up. "With the plans we're using, you're likely to die first, so I advise you start saying your prayers now."

"Hey, watch it, you…"

"Enough, Ken." Alex interrupted him. "Ignore him. You'll be out of that rank soon enough."

"…yes, sir." Ken replied quietly, before sitting down. _Good kid, _Alex thought. _Let's hope he doesn't turn out like his old man…_

His thoughts were interrupted when a slight snore came from behind him. He turned and saw another low rank soldier, Nathan Riggs, sleeping rather soundly in his seat. _Not good, _he thought. He walked over, and briefly shook the grunt by the shoulder. "Hey… Hey, wake up."

"Eh?...Wha…What happened, what did I miss?" the grunt stuttered in a language the other crew members didn't understand.

"You fell asleep." Alex replied, in the same language. "I wouldn't advise that. Tanaki can be a real dick when he wants to."

"No shit." The grunt replied. "You're American too?"

"You could say that."

"God damn. Here I thought I was the outcast."

Alex took a seat next to the grunt and examined his nametag. "Riggs…how long have you been with SAT?"

"'Bout three years." Nathan replied. "Sir." He quickly added.

"No one here calls me sir. It's Alex."

"Well then, good to meet you, Alex." Nathan said as he extended his hand.

"Likewise." Alex replied before shaking hands with Nathan.

* * *

"Pretty impressive." Alex complimented as he watched all three escaped specimens fall dead. Though he wasn't about to admit it, Nathan looked to be quite accurate with his pistol…

"Trained by you guys." Nathan replied, reloading the golden gun in his hand and holstering it. "These fuckers are good."

"We're the only survivors." Ken piped up from behind the two. "Good is an understatement. What the fuck are these people?"

"That doesn't matter n…" Alex was interrupted by his radio before he could finish.

"This is Director Kakuzawa. Report. How's the mission going, Mercer?"

"The specimens are dead, but so is most of the team."

"Survivors?"

"Me, Ken Kataku and Nathan Riggs."

"The rest are all dead?"

"Unfortunately. Any further orders?"

"None. Return to the facility near Yokohama. Take Ken and Nathan with you. They're needed for another assignment. I also need to speak to you. I'll have a link established when you get there."

"Right…" Alex coldly replied, before the radio slurred with static again. He holstered the radio, and turned to the two survivors. "Well, we need to go back to the facility. You have another assignment."

"Christ… right after this one? That asshole is insane." Nathan piped up.

"Tell me something I don't know." Alex replied with a grin as they all turned to the evac point. "Although, I'm curious as to how you got a 50 Calibre pistol into Japan. That can only be found on the black market…"

"Ey. I won't tell if you won't." Nathan chuckled.

* * *

_And now I've finally found her,_ Alex thought. _You'd be a bit shocked if you saw what those fuckers did, but it's quite obvious whose violent side she inherited… _He chuckled. His thoughts were interrupted when a knock came from the door. "It's open." He replied.

Lucy and Kouta entered the room cautiously. "Relax." Alex said. "I don't bite. Don't let what you saw earlier scare you. You'll see a lot more of it if you're staying on this island."

"I know." Kouta replied. "And I'm sorry, but it's not every day I see a thing like that happen."

"And it's not every day someone stops my vectors." Lucy said.

"Like I said, I'll reveal as much as I can now." Alex replied. "Please, take a seat."

Lucy took charge of her wheelchair, moving to the front of the desk in the room Alex was using as an office, while Kouta sat on the chair next to him. "So," Alex started again. "Where should we begin?"

"What is this place?" Kouta asked.

"I took over this facility when I came back from America eight years ago. The soldiers here specialise is biological warfare. Anything out of the ordinary."

"Like us?" Lucy asked.

"Not just you. Experiments I conducted with GenTek years ago."

"Years ago? You're hardly thirty!" Kouta exclaimed.

"Physically, yes."

"Hold on…what do you mean?" Kouta asked hesitantly.

"I'm over sixty years old." Alex said with a faint smile.

"Okay…" Lucy suddenly spoke up. "Now I guess it's safe to ask _what_ instead of _who_ you are."

"Are you sure you want to know that? It might be a bit much to take in."

"I think I can handle it." Lucy said, looking down so her hair covered her eyes again."

"Okay then. I was employed into the current Director of GenTek's father's service about two years after the second World War ended. They headhunted me because I looked like a promising scientist. About two years after I was hired, Kakuzawa Senior was so impressed by my skills and knowledge that he gave me the task to engineer supersoldiers – a feat that was considered impossible at that time. I worked on one from 1949 to about 1954, and after a lot of failed attempts and ruined lives, I managed to manufacture a serum that showed positive results."

"What did this serum do?" Kouta asked. His interest was peaking, and Lucy even looked up again.

"This serum takes the form of a virus when it enters the body, and it gradually starts replacing the host's body with a material that can take any shape or form."

"Like those rope-like things that came out of your body." Lucy filled in one of her blanks. "So did you use the serum on yourself?"

"For a good cause. Kakuzawa Sr. promised me this serum would only be used on soldiers who were willing. But, as I was heading home one night, I heard the good Director speaking to his subordinates about using it on normal people he abducted. So, seeing as my conscience caught up with me, I triggered an alarm and stole the virus. They cornered me in a park, and the director pleaded with me to reconsider what I was doing."

"And what were you doing?" Kouta asked, a bit horrified at the former Director's tyranny.

"Threatening his ideal 'Heaven on Earth'. A reality where he would be God. He said I could 'rule with him' and be 'a genetic step above the normal people' and other stories like that."

"He sounds like he was a madman."

"Clichéd as it may sound, I refused. I saw the one officer speak into the radio, and saw a sniper take aim at me. In what you could call a heroic moment I shattered the vial containing the serum about two seconds before the sniper shot me."

"But you lived?" Lucy asked.

"Oh no. I died, make no mistake of that. But, lucky for me, I fell on the serum that was leaking over the floor."

"And it got into your body?"

"Yes. I woke up in a morgue seven hours later, killed the scientists who were trying to get the serum back and went after the Director. Luckily I kept my memories, something I hypothesized as impossible. I still don't know how it happened."

"So did you find that Director's dad?" Lucy asked, her voice growing less cold and murderous by the minute.

"In 1959. I took some memories from his guards that…"

"Hold on." Lucy interfered. "Took their memories? Are you serious?"

"Afraid so. This body you see is nothing but a solidified form of the virus. However, if I kill someone, this virus acts up and starts breaking down their body. It then absorbs their biomass, or life energy and grants me the ability to take on their form and their memories."

Lucy fell back into her wheelchair, going a bit limp. "I told you this might be a bit hard to take in." Alex said.

"S…so…you…you're a supersoldier?" Lucy asked. Kouta was too shocked to say anything. "You can see people's memories and copy how they look?"

"To the last detail." Alex said.

"Whoa…" Kouta said, actually faltering a bit. "I could tell you weren't human after what I saw earlier, but…" He closed his eyes and let his head drop for a brief moment. Then he looked up again. "So what did you do to the director?"

"I tracked him to his private airstrip near the remains of Hiroshima, where he was preparing to depart to meet one of his investors. I killed all his guards, took on their appearance, boarded the plane.." He held up his hand, which suddenly turned into a moving mass of red and black, before taking another form – a black hand with four long, razor sharp blades protruding from where the fingers should start. Kouta nearly fainted, while Lucy tensed in her wheelchair. "…and tore his personal guards apart before his eyes."

"Oh my g…how…" Kouta stuttered, as he started to grow frantic. Lucy still stared at him with a shocked expression. She wasn't moving a muscle. Alex's hand then turned to the black and red mass again, before his normal hand took form again.

"Do I need to keep going? Or should we call it a day already?"

"No…No, we're…we're fine." Lucy said, relaxing a bit as Kouta calmed down. "And…these supersoldiers, in other words, you…what were you called?"

Alex's expression turned serious, as he remained silent for a few minutes. "It's kind of hard to find a way break it to you easily…"

"Then don't. Just say it." Lucy said, but it wasn't a demand. It was almost as if she was expecting something in his answer.

"Okay then." Alex said as he looked at them both solemnly. "After the whole fiasco with the serum, the original name was dropped and I was renamed as Blacklight, from the light they used to signal situations where my presence was needed. However, before that, Kakuzawa had a special name reserved for his super soldiers, his one gateway to godhood. They…_I _was named first of that new species. One that was to be called the Diclonius."

Lucy's eyes widened, as she started shaking uncontrollably, tears forming her eyes again. "S…so…I…I'm…" She couldn't say anything further, as her view started fading to black, her conscience slowly leaving her. She felt the wheelchair slip from under her, as she heard Kouta startled cry before it all went dark.

* * *

A/N: And yet another chapter all finished. Whoa… This one's long. Hope the multi-crossover idea didn't irk you guys too much. More to come in the future. Now, for that very irksome disclaimer:

_I do not own Elfen Lied, [PROTOTYPE], InFamous, Burst Angel or any other anime/game I include in this story. I am not using this story for profit, and if that day does come I shall willingly volunteer to flayed, poisoned, drowned, stabbed, shot, impaled and drawn and quartered by the developers and publishers who own said material._

I can't believe I just hanged myself there… Oh well. Now, there's only one more character that fits into the story that actually borrows material from another game, but I might add elements from more games or animes to make GenTek look more like people who deserve to be crucified and burnt. Let me know what you think of the multi-crossover idea, please read and review and help find out where I can improve.

Thanks for reading! Cheers!

_--Slipkn0T--_


	5. 5 Allies & Enemies

A/N: Back with another update! One official Long-Ass Chapter. Even I can't guess how long this one will be. I guess you could call this a filler chapter, as we're taking a break from Blackwatch's war with GenTek to focus on the Blacklight gang, Blackwatch itself, and the many, many enemies that Lucy, Kouta and the rest will be facing.

Again, thanks to those guys who read and review my fic. It's the motivation behind New! Improved! Blacklight Chapters like this one. You guys are awesome!

On to the story!

* * *

CHAPTER 5 - Allies & Enemies

"I really didn't picture her as the type to faint." Alex told Kouta as they exited Lucy's room, where she was resting safely, and entered the living room where the rest of the family waited.

"Do you blame her, after what she found out?" Kouta asked. "I know I would."

"Uhm, excuse me." Yuka interrupted. "But what could you have shown her to make her _faint_!?" She was bordering on hysterical since Alex and Kouta had carried an unconscious Lucy into the room they were given.

Alex turned to Kouta. "You know these girls better than anyone. Think they can stomach it?"

"I…I really don't know." He replied, running a hand through his hair. "Even I'm still struggling to take it all in."

"Oh well." Alex replied, and turned to the other three. "You might want to sit down for this." They did as he suggested with looks of anxiousness on their faces and, as before, Alex raised his hands. Swarms of black and red engulfed them, and took the form of two black hands, with long blades replacing the fingers. Yuka shrieked. Mayu and Nana fainted as well.

"Well, probably a good thing we're back here, isn't it?" Alex asked as he turned to Kouta.

"That…You…" Yuka had finally reached hysterical. "What the hell are you!?"

"That's best left for when everyone is awake again." Alex replied. "Or when the boy finally tells you. Do you need any help with those two? I can send a nurse over if necessary."

"No…No, we're fine. We can take care of them." Kouta said, walking over to the two infants, before turning to Alex again. "Do you want to stay until they wake up?"

"I can't." He replied. "I need to go see the others. If they do wake up, just use the phone to call Dana. Her number's right next to it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll see you all later." With that, he left the room.

"Kouta, what _is_ he?" Yuka demanded, finally calming down a bit. "It's not every day that someone happens to make Lucy faint!"

"He's a Diclonius." Kouta replied shakily, resting his head on one hand.

"Wha…I thought Lucy was the Diclonius! You told me she was the Diclonius when you came back that night!"

"Apparently not." Kouta replied. "I'm still a bit confused. The only thing we found out about Alex Mercer before Lucy fainted was that he worked with the people who made her life hell. He left before she was born, about thirty-six years after he turned into that…that _thing_. We only found out bits and pieces about him…"

"But he's hardly thirty! How could he have turned into that _thirty-six_ years before Lucy was born!?"

"I… I don't know…" Kouta sighed as he looked down, causing a small period of silence.

"So, he's like Lucy?" Yuka broke the silence.

"No, not at all." He said with a sigh. "Come on, let's get these two to bed. After that I'll go ask the people Alex knows about him. I'll start with the ones closest to here, if they're available…"

---------------------------------_**2 HOURS LATER------------------------------------**_

Kouta walked up to the small, makeshift house he was directed to by the people at the central building. Thunder sounded overhead, followed by light raindrops falling at a rhythmic pace. It was just his luck that it was raining. His face brightened, however, when he reached the small house near the huge building called the armoury. With a few scrunches coming from wet trainers on the concrete foundation of this fortress, he walked up to the door and knocked. Surprisingly, the door opened the second time his hand hit the wood, to reveal Jonathan Steele busy putting his trench coat on.

"What the fuck…Oh. You're that kid from the bridge." He growled lowly. "Whaddya want?"

"Uhm…" Kouta felt a knot grow in his throat. "I…uh…"

"Christ, spit it out, boy!" John growled again, this a bit fiercer.

"I j-just wanted to know s-s-some things about D-Dr. Mercer…" Kouta stuttered as he trembled where he stood.

"Huh…that it?" He asked, putting on the black shades he was always seen with.

"Y-Yeah." Kouta stuttered again, trying his best to keep calm.

"Hmm…not here." John growled again. "It's my shift at the armoury. We'll speak there." He said as he left his house and locked the door behind him.

"S-So…how did you get that house?" Kouta asked as he almost jogged to keep up with John's stride.

"Everyone in Alex's inner circle gets one." He replied as they stopped in front of a huge blast door. John quickly took a small keycard from one of his jacket's inner pockets and ran it through the sensor. With a few odd mechanical sounds the door shifted back and moved to the side. "It's an upside to the job." He grinned.

He led Kouta past the door to the firing range, where gunshots could be heard in full swing. Kouta thought this odd since it was so early. Then they went through another heavy blast door, which was opened quickly with another swipe of John's card. As they entered, Kouta's jaw dropped. On the walls of this particular room, seemingly millions of weapons were arranged, leaving little space for anything else. In the centre of the room, more weapon racks stood, as well as a couple of tables on which ammunition was piled quite high. "Wha…What is this place?" Kouta asked, hardly trying to conceal his amazement.

"Heaven on earth, if you're with us." John chuckled. "I didn't expect you to have a liking to guns, kiddo."

"I…I don't, but…Wow. How many are here?"

"About twenty thousand. This is a huge facility, Kid. Plenty of soldiers, needing plenty of weapons. This way." He replied as he started walking to what seemed like a small booth with a cage around it from the desk upwards. Behind it, a burly man with a cigar hanging from his mouth was sitting with an adult magazine, chuckling every now and then.

"Dimitri!" John called to him, making him look up. "You're off shift now, geezer. Get your old ass outta here."

"You watch your mouth, boy." The man named Dimitri responded with a heavy Russian accent. "I'll kick your ass."

"Nah, rather not. Don't want the adrenaline to make your heart stop." Kouta flinched as this comment reminded him of the silver haired girl named Jo, who had a similar condition. John noted this, and a frown crossed his face as he turned back to the man in the booth, yelling something at him in a language Kouta couldn't dream to understand. Dimitri responded in the same language, before leaving the booth. John stepped in, motioned for Kouta to follow, and locked the gate when they were both in. He then took a seat by the opening in the cage, where a seat and a small machine were standing. He sat, sat down, and turned to Kouta.

"So, you wanna know about the good doctor?"

"Y-Yes. Please." He replied shakily.

"What do you wanna know about him? His reputation? Intelligence?" His smirk turned cruel. "Or maybe the body count? The bounties he had on his head?"

Kouta gulped. The way he said that last part made him wonder about how good the doctor really was in the past. "I…Uh…wanted to know how you met him. And why they call you Beast."

"Why they call me Beast…" He glanced around. "I'll show you later. I don't trust you enough yet. As to how I met him… Hmm, where to start…" He massaged his left temple for a moment, and started.

"In 1980, when I was about nine years old, my father was an employee of GenTek. I, being his eldest son at the time, decided to accompany him one day. I met Alex that day for the first time, nothing like he is now."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, now he's caring, gentle and friendly, albeit very stoic. Back then, he was cold, uncaring and vicious. Especially to outsiders who weren't in GenTek's employment. That day, it was reported that my father was staging a strike to earn more money. Real unnecessary, really. We were already living a good life. He wanted more. So Kakuzawa Junior decided to penalise him disobeying direct orders."

"Surely that wasn't a very harsh penalty?" Kouta asked.

"You don't know the half of it." John growled. "So Kakuzawa sent a messenger to my father's party to inform them that they were all fired. So, in retaliation, they killed him."

"Why?"

"Greed. Anger. Frustration. Fucked if I know. By that time I was already scared shitless. So guess who Kakuzawa decides to send next?"

"Alex?"

"Yup. Then my father made the mistake of shooting at him."

"What happened then?"

"I ran away, after Alex dealt with the crowd. Let me just say it took me two weeks to get all the blood out of my clothes. 'Bout a month after I ran away, Kakuzawa had me abducted and experimented on until 1995, when the same 'doctor' who killed my dad busted me out of my makeshift prison. Those experiments gave me these eyes," he said as he removed his sunglasses to reveal two black and red eyes. "And made me the Beast I am today."

"So all you know about his past is that he was a killer?"

"Certainly acted like one. I also know of his friend, one Nathan Riggs, also American. His daughter was born with the horns in 1990, GenTek killed his wife in 1994 and he got killed trying to rescue his daughter in 1997. He succeeded, however, the girl ran away and only got captured again about four years later, according to Kurama."

"Kurama!?" Kouta exclaimed, tensing.

"Relax, boy." John growled, before being interrupted by a soldier at the counter. "Whaddya want?" John asked him.

"A soldier just left with one of the weapons. I suspect it's a grunt, like last time." The soldier informed John. "As one of the armoury peacekeepers, you're supposed to go stop him."

"We'll, you're a Colonel, I'm a commando. Your rank is higher, so you go stop the dumbass." John growled. "As you can see, I'm busy."

"Sir." The soldier nodded curtly, then turned and stalked off.

"Don't they…uh…take offence when you speak to them like that?" Kouta asked timidly.

John turned back around. "You mistake me for someone who gives a shit." He grinned. "Anyhow, Kurama was another one of Alex's friends. He'd be standing right here if Mariko wasn't born."

"About her, is she really here? I thought she died."

"Everyone did, boy, even those who knew her closely in the facility. Thank God they're all dead now."

"How did she survive?"

"Only Alex and Captain Cross know. Is that all you needed? I can't help you much more with Alex's past. You should ask Dana. She shares a part of his 'gift'. Anything else?"

"Just one." Kouta replied hesitantly. "This friend of Dr. Mercer, Nathan. I hear a lot about him from the soldiers here."

"That man is a legend in Blackwatch. Great man. Every soldier in Blackwatch idolises him. When he died… I served next to a lot of men in the two years before his death. Hard men. I even believed some of them to be able to kill children if necessary. And those men, always bragging about their toughness and their manliness, cried like babies at his funeral. Even Dana and Keira couldn't help but cry."

"Who's Keira?"

"Our part-time counsellor. She's also a Diclonius, like your girl. Only a bit… different. You should ask her yourself, she's busy training now. Go see her after… say …three o'clock. And just so by the way…" He trailed off as he looked at Kouta sternly. "You should make a point of coming to the shooting range from time to time."

"W…Why would I..."

"We intercepted radio transmissions from GenTek saying you made your girl a certain promise…"

"They… they spied on us?"

"You really think they didn't know she made it back to you?" John inquired. "They said you were a bit dense, but now you're just being retarded." Kouta's face faltered a bit. "Anyway, we had snipers posted at vantage points around the inn, with certain gear capable of hacking the channels between the GenTek posts and their HQ. We found out about the promise you made to her, that you'll protect her against GenTek."

"Y-Yeah…" Kouta sighed, before looking up with a determined expression. "And I intend to keep it." He said with a strong, albeit shaky voice. John chuckled.

"I know, Kid. I know. But there's something you should know, though: Soldiers _aren't_ the only weapons GenTek can throw at us."

"I know." Kouta said. "I mean, if you guys have helicopters and tanks, they should have too."

"No, Kid." John shook his head. "I mean even more than that. Your girl's kind isn't the only one they made. They made things far worse than she could ever be. Freaks, monsters, abominations, the whole damn package. I've seen what their experiments did to one group of people. An experiment born from the same one that turned Lex into that being you saw."

"Lex… as in Alex? Doctor Mercer?" John nodded. "And…uh… What happened to them?" Kouta asked warily.

"Nothing like what happened to Lex. They lost it completely. Went tribal again, resorted to attacking everything that wasn't like them. They were deformed. Shards of bone replacing limbs, skin growing harder, greater speed. And one hell of an appetite. Most of the people they killed were eaten afterwards, or turned into their ranks. Became known as a variant of the Blacklight virus."

"I thought Alex was the Blacklight virus?" Kouta inquired.

"Blacklight strains are like cancer, Kid." John answered. "You'll never be stuck with 'just' cancer. It'll always have a variant, like pancreatic cancer, leukaemia and other types. Now Blacklight is very similar to that. What Lex is, is just the foundation of the Blacklight virus. A foundation that's inaccessible without his consent. So, instead of trying to convince him to give himself in, they tried recreating the virus, with only one successful attempt."

"Only one?"

"Yeah. And even that one fucked up… Badly…" John muttered as he sank back into his chair, and started explaining the story of the monster that was both success and failure.

* * *

Somewhere along the coast of Kamakura, the creature stood looking over the ocean. It had taken on Bando's form in the hopes of luring more GenTek soldiers after him, and it was successful up to a point. Later, the normal soldiers stopped coming, replaced by odd people with shiny decorations on their bodies, most more skilled than even the strong humans. Genocide Angels, he recalled from one of their memories. Incredibly strong beings.

_And very tasty ones…_ The creature thought as it's trademark fangs appeared on Bando's face, while the eye sockets started turning a strange black. _No wonder dear little director wanted them as angels…_ It chuckled as it heard a gun being loaded behind him. It slowly turned around to see three young girls, no older than seventeen, aiming pistols at it. It smiled sinisterly. "I take it you three are the dear director's new lapdogs?" It spoke in a mix of different voices.

"We were sent to kill you." The middle one said.

"They said they'd free us and our friends if we did." The one on the right said sternly.

"And we were told not to return till you're dead." The left one stated stoically.

The creature simply tossed it's head back and laughed, ranging from a young girl's giggle to an old man's wheezy laugh. It looked back down at them as it's true body started taking form, and in a few moments, the monster stood towering over the three wide-eyed girls, licking it's fangs in a sinisterly fashion, before gazing at the three with malicious eyes.

"How good of the director to send me a snack… Let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

"It's a monster, Kid." John sighed. "It calls itself the Supreme Hunter, and it'll slaughter anything in it's way to achieve it's goal."

"Which is?"

"Like Lex, the Genocide Angels, and even your girl's kind, it too was created 'destined' to rid the world of humanity. But Kakuzawa dropped it because it turned out so malicious. So it broke out and took it's destiny into it's own paws."

"But if it's alone, how will it do that?"

"Lord knows, Kiddo." John sighed again. "I just know enough to warn you. I've fought it twice, and each time it came with a different appearance and monstrous strength increases. I know it's power by now. It nearly _killed_ Captain Cross in 2003. So heed my words, boy. If that thing _ever_ shows it face, you grab your girl, you turn and run, and you _don't look back_." John said with a stern expression. "Even if she's the queen of these new Diclonii, even she won't stand a chance against it."

"How will I know how this… this _thing_ looks?" Kouta worriedly asked.

"You'll know it when you see it, boy. Just let me just say, if you intend to live up to that promise, you can't do it with your fists, especially if the Blacklight monsters want to party. You'll need to learn how to use a gun." Just as he finished his sentence, they heard a ruckus coming from the shooting range. "Aw, Christ…" He thought aloud as he stood up, unlocked the gate and took a crowbar in one of his hands. "You should try to see Dwayne, Dana or Cross now. They can help a bit more. Now, if you'll excuse me," he said as he moved to the door to the shooting range. "Some of my brothers-in-arms need to be… re-educated…

* * *

Kouta stood in front of another large hangar, this one next to the airstrip. He hesitantly pressed the button on the intercom near the door, and waited.

"Yeah? Whosere?" Dwayne's voice boomed through the radio.

"Uh, it's…it's Kouta, from the chase."

"Da fuck, boy? Yous don' need to knock. Come right in!" he boomed again.

Kouta had to put quite some effort into opening the hangar door, until a soldier came over and helped him. "Looks like you need to hit the gym, kiddo." Kouta blushed a bit as he moved into the hangar, mumbling a word of thanks to the soldier, before allowing him to escort him to Dwayne.

"Sup, homie?" Dwayne greeted, crippling Kouta's hand as he shook it. "Hows you been doin'? Enjoyin' yo stay, I hope?"

"I…uh…"

"Lemme guess: Bossman Mercer showed ya his badass talents?"

"Y-yeah. How did you know?

"Every newbie who finds out goes as pale as you are now for at least a week. I take it ya know? Bout him shoulda been' a Dic-ahh, I can never fuckin' remember."

"Yes, he told us." Kouta sighed. "Lucy fainted."

"That ain't shit. Hicks, yo bodyguard, suffered a motherfuckin' stroke when he saw." Dwayne replied. "Tha' was funny as hell. So, wha' you wanna know?"

"I was hoping you could tell me something about Alex's past."

"Well, I did find out bits and pieces from Dana. Apparently, they share da same gift."

"Which is?"

"Some kinda Eternal Youth, boy." Dwayne grumbled. "But about Alex, I found out he got all cold an' shit after he turned. But, shit started happenin' to make him go back to how he was."

"How he was?"

"Ya know. Generous, kind, all dat pussy-wimp shit. Just don' tell him I said dat. I might get my ass flayed for it…"

"What made him change back?" Kouta inquired.

"Rumours about him running into his former experiments, seein' dere sufferin' an' shit. Made him change back. That started in 1979. Dunno what happened, but in '82 he blew his top an' left. Only Dana knows why. Dunno if this'll help, but I heard his friends also helped him in the persona change. Pity both o' dem are dead now."

"Do you know how Mariko survived?"

"Sheeit, homie, I ain't Moses. I dunno everythin'. My motto – when in doubt…go hound da Cap'n." He laughed. "Well, homie, ya need to excuse me, got shit to go break and fix and shit. You should go see the counsellor, Keira, as well."

"One last thing before you go…" Kouta said softly. "Can you tell me about the Supreme Hunter?"

Dwayne's face visibly lost colour. "Shit, homie…" He sighed. "I only fought it once, and it owned me in less than fifteen fuckin' minutes." Dwayne shook his head.

"It sounds like it was quite fearsome…" Kouta mused.

"You know da record for holding out the longest here against Alex? Captain Cross holds it for lasting forty-seven minutes in a fight against him. Now that Hunter lasted more than five hours against all of us. Fearsome's a fuckin' understatement." Dwayne sat down on a rusty helicopter engine. "Dat thing attacked us in 2000, 'bout a month before the facility came here. And only seven weeks after I got this," He said as red electricity crackled in his hand. "In that one assault, it wiped out nine of Detroit's twelve main gangs, all armed to the fuckin' teeth. And dem ain't the only ones who stepped up. Shit went crazy that day, homie. We had the boys, S.W.A.T, the U.S army, even the fuckin' air force all attacking in one place. But don't you even think that swayed the Hunter."

"Surely it must have had help?" Kouta asked.

"Sure it did." Dwayne sighed. "From what I heard, dat thing can… uh… contaminate areas around it. Make some kinda army, turn everyone in it's area into monsters. Hungry ones at that."

"The Blacklight monsters?" Kouta asked.

"That's it, yeah…" Dwayne said. "Fuckin' terrible things. Some of dem took a whole damn clip from an AK before fallin'. Anyway, shit went outta control so badly, we thought Detroit was gonna be lost. Infection spread from da place it started in. Took half of Detroit in about five days. In-fuckin'-sane. So naturally, everyone was rounded up to take back the city. The battle was goin' all good, with us clearly havin' da upper hand. Then guess who shows up…"

"The Hunter?" Kouta answered.

"Bingo." Dwayne said, frowning. "Goddamn, that thing was… It was fuckin' unstoppable… I watched it pick up one of the higher-ranking SWAT officials and crush him one fuckin' movement. Then… Then the shit started. That thing summoned up all sorts of beasts to help 'im. Smaller Hunters, some kinda red tentacle with a claw of bone on it's tip… All that shit. See, Alex didn't have control of Blackwatch then, meaning it was just him and his comrades against an entire damn army. Den Alex decided to put an end to it, and went straight for their commander. Blackwatch only looked on."

"The Supreme Hunter…" Kouta pondered.

"Yeah. It's a fuckin' monster."

"John told me to grab Lucy and run if we ever come across it." Kouta said.

"I don't blame him." Dwayne said. "That thing would tear you both to shreds and laugh while doing it. Then it'd shit on your remains and jump up an' down on 'em." Dwayne said, quickly whipping his head around as a man dressed in overalls called at him. "I gotta go, kid." Dwayne said.

"Well, thanks for the help. See you later." Kouta turned and left the hangar, deep in thought. _This doctor seems to be so much more than he says, even after his revelation on the Diclonii. I need to get to Captain Cross or Dana. I could also try this Keira girl, but I'm not even sure if I can find her._ He was pulled out of his thoughts when he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Hey, watch it, jackass!" He looked up to find a young woman, somewhere in her mid twenties, with emerald green hair and light green eyes. She was amazingly beautiful, almost rivalling Lucy, but she wasn't Japanese. Or American, for that matter. But what shocked him most was what he saw when he looked at her face. His eyes moved upwards and fell on two horns protruding from her head.

"Uh…sorry there."

"Fucking better be…" she retorted. "Hold on, you're that boy. The one from the chase, right?"

"Uh…yeah…how did you…"

"Alex told me. John also told me you'd come looking for me. You wanna know about Alex, right?"

"Uh…yeah." Kouta said, still a bit startled from her former comment.

"Well, I guess introductions are in order." The girl stated. "I'm Keira. And you are?"

"Kouta…" he replied hesitantly.

"What's with the nervousness, kid?" She asked. "I don't bite. At least not too hard…" A demented smile crossed her lips when she saw Kouta pale at those words. "Don't worry, I'm not hungry now. What do you need to know?" She asked him as she started walking off, beckoning for him to follow. As she turned around, Kouta noticed the two swords holstered across her back.

"Do you fight with those?" He asked timidly.

"What else should I do with them?" she asked dryly.

"Uh…sorry…" he replied, blushing again.

"You apologise too much." She attacked again. "So where do you wanna start?"

"Can I start with a personal question?"

"You're going to, anyway." She said with a blank face. "Don't see why you bother asking."

"Uh… I…" Kouta lost his voice for a few seconds.

"Relax." She said with a genuine smile. "Go right ahead."

"Uhm…I can tell by your horns you're a Diclonius…so why do you fight with swords?"

"I'm a silpelit Diclonius." She replied. "Just my luck, too…"

"So you age too fast?" Kouta asked with a look of confusion on his face. Aging too fast was what Nana said was associated with Silpelit Diclonii.

"Christ, that asshole makes a new meaning for the word every day, doesn't he…" Keira replied, rolling her eyes. "I'll have you know you can't believe a word Kakuzawa says, not even when it concerns his own experiments. The term 'Silpelit' means defective. Alex told me certain specimens were kept out cold on drugs so long they started forgetting portions of their lives. Their personalities underdeveloped, and it seemed they 'aged' too fast. That's the case with Number 7…"

"You mean Nana?"

"So that's her name… I'll try to remember." She responded. "As to why I fight with swords…You see, my vectors can still stop bullets, but they can't cut through shit. They're kinda solid. But they're faster and longer than normal vectors. So I use them to wield these…" Kouta stepped back as four silver daggers were unsheathed from her belt and drifted around in mid-air. "…while I use these." She placed her hands on the handles of her blades, and unsheathed two silver swords from their holsters. "Gives me an edge in a fight." Before Kouta could even register what was going on, each weapon was holstered again.

"Whoa…you're fast." He shakily complemented.

"Nineteen years of training does that to you." She replied. "So, what else do you…"

"KEIRA!!!"

Kouta jumped as Meg barged in on their conversation, grabbing Keira by the shoulders. "Where's Alex?" She asked with a determined expression.

"Meg." Keira replied calmly, with the killer eyes Lucy usually used. "Get the fuck out of my face or I will kill you."

Kouta nearly fainted as two daggers appeared out of nowhere, their tips pointing straight at Meg's throat. "N-Now, please…" He tried to stop an all-out brawl from beginning.

Meg gulped loudly as the daggers started moving closer to her neck. "Okay, okay!" she yelled as she backed off.

"Much better." Keira replied with a faint smile. "Now, what do want?"

"I wanna find Alex!" she stated with another determined expression.

"To do what?"

"He promised he'd tell me something!"

"Hmm…" Keira rubbed her chin in a thinking pose before replying. "Nope, haven't seen him."

"You're lying!" Meg pouted.

"Prove it." She said with a cocky grin, before walking past her. She turned to Kouta. "You and your girl should come over to the armoury at eight o'clock tomorrow. John's on shift that time. I'll tell you more then."

"H-Hey wait u…" He tried to say, but to no avail. She was gone.

"Aww, she does that all the time." Meg pouted. "This sucks." Then she saw Kouta. "Oh, sorry there. How rude of me." She extended her hand. "I'm Meg. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." He replied. "I'm Kouta."

"Say, you haven't seen Alex anywhere, have you? I think he's avoiding me."

"That would be the smart thing to do." Another feminine voice came from behind her, and a mature looking woman with raven hair appeared behind her. "I know how you get when this happens." She looked at Kouta. "Hi there. I'm Sei."

"Meg's boss." A young girl of about twelve years old with brown hair tied into two pigtails popped into the picture as well. "I'm Amy, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you all." He smiled. "I'm Kouta. My family and I are here because we got attacked."

"By GenTek?" Sei asked.

"Yeah." He replied, scratching the back of his head. "They sent a helicopter after us."

"The one that blew that big bridge?" Amy questioned. "Jeez, how did you get outta that?"

"The soldiers arrived. And Dwayne helped us towards the bridge." Kouta answered.

"Aw, Dwayne's awesome!" Meg cried. "His powers are so cool!"

"Don't forget dangerous." Sei interjected. "If he were to turn against Alex…he might have a fair chance at bringing Blackwatch down."

"So…uh, do you work for Alex?" Kouta asked Sei.

"Freelance work, as most of his inner circle call it. We're bounty hunters. Mercenaries."

"And how did you come to know Doctor Mercer?"

"Well, we shouldn't have known him. Two and a half years ago we were tricked into staging a guerrilla attack on one of Blackwatch's investors. Barely made it out alive."

"Yeah, these guys here, these soldiers are something else." Meg chimed.

"They anticipated everything we did. Came fully prepared with enough firepower to level a small town. Anyways, after that we decided to get back at the one who set us up. The good 'doctor' saw what we did, and got impressed. He offered us jobs on Blackwatch's behalf."

"Blackwatch hires mercenaries?" Kouta asked with a surprised expression.

"Only to prevent unnecessary casualties." Amy said. "See, their guys aren't normal soldiers. People are brought from all over the globe to fight for Blackwatch. And boy, are they hard…"

"The soldiers here sound harsh." Kouta stated.

"As Amy said, they're not normal soldiers." Sei said. "These guys know how to operate. Rumour has it Alex set the training methods up himself. If these guys operate anything like his mercs did in the past, I'm not surprised GenTek turned the government against them. Must've cost them a fortune."

"Sei, we need to go find Alex!" Meg suddenly whined.

"Yes, yes. Let's go." Sei said as she turned to the central building. "It was nice talking to you, Kouta."

"Likewise." Kouta said with a smile. "But before you go, have any of you seen Dana or the Captain?"

"Captain Cross is at landing bay three. We don't know where Dana is now." Amy replied.

"Thanks. Be seeing you." He turned, and started to landing bay three. _If anyone knows what I need about Alex, it's either Dana or Cross. If I can find one of them, it might just help Lucy…_

-----------------------------------_**LANDING BAY 3**_------------------------------------

"Check your weapons and make sure your sights are mounted correctly. This mission is of utmost importance. I'll be giving you your orders after the equipment check is done." Cross strictly instructed the nine-man team in front of him.

_So this is what the army life is like…_ Kouta thought as he watched each of the soldiers load their gun and aim through its scope. _Kinda harsh…_

"I was wondering when your questions would arise." Kouta looked up with a jerk as Cross pulled him from his thoughts. "

"H-How did you…"

"I've been through this enough to know what happens when." Cross said. His face had lost the stern expression it wore when he was barking at the soldiers a few moments ago, but he still looked fierce nonetheless. "I assume Alex has shown you and Lucy what he really is?"

"Y-Yeah." Kouta replied shakily. "I-I'm sorry, but all of this still a bit too much to take in."

"Take your time. Surprisingly, you're handling this better than most people in the past have."

"Lucy fainted, and I don't think I'm ever going to stop shaking. How is that for taking this better than normal people?" Kouta asked.

"There's been a lot of shit in the past, kid." He turned and looked at the soldiers, who were just about done with their equipment test, then back to Kouta. "Wait here for a minute. I need to go give them their orders."

He turned and moved to the team and started speaking to them in a harsh tone of voice, a stern look appearing on his features once again. Kouta heard the orders, and gasped in shock.

"You're going to the docks in Yokohama again. The office building in which the Diclonii were kept is said to contain valuable documents, certain experimental serums and a blueprint for a type of machine, which weren't damaged in the assault we organised earlier. The unidentified heat source wasn't found, either, but reports say it's still there. So, after securing all intel, you'll be heading into the sewers from the entrance in the building's basement. Now, this heat source has been confirmed to have taken out two of our recon squads in mere seconds, so I suggest you keep AP-rounds on you as well. Our viral scanners have also picked up a large quantity of workers infected by rogue strains of underdeveloped viruses, each with unknown symptoms and side-effects."

"So what are you actually saying, sir?" a soldier asked from the small crowd.

"I'm saying the usual restrictions given when carrying out a mission are now null and void. The standard rules of combat in this firm have been lifted. So, in short, I don't care if the workers range from elders to children. If it moves, kill it."

"Why do you say _it_, sir?" The same soldier asked again.

"You should know how GenTek operate by now, one freakish experiment after the next. You'll no doubt encounter some form of biological anomaly, apart from the one shown in the thermal scans. If it as much as poses a threat, you empty your magazines into it. That's an order from _me,_ understand?"

"Sir, yes sir!" The team echoed. Cross turned to the soldier who spoke up. "You're in command from here on out, Sergeant. Get your men moving."

"Sir!" he replied proudly before turning to the team. "Move out!" As each of the soldiers boarded the helicopter, Cross turned back to Kouta. The stern expression vanished once again. "Another team is coming for another mission in about fifteen minutes. I'll try to answer the majority of your questions in that time. If we don't succeed, you'll need to come by my office later on. Unfortunately I've got quite a load of things to do after that. Is that okay with you?"

"S-Sure…" Kouta responded.

"But before we begin, there's a question I'd like you to answer, if you don't mind."

"Not at all…What is it? Kouta asked.

"You're going through an awful lot of trouble to find out about Alex Mercer. Why is that?"

This question shocked him. He was expecting something along those lines, but the way Cross put that question caught him completely off guard. "I…uh…"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, kid." Cross spoke. "It's just curiosity."

"It's…It's fine, really. Uh…I just… It seems Dr. Mercer knows quite a lot about the Diclonii, and Lucy in particular. I just thought I'd see if he's tied to her past. If he is, it might prepare her if she wants to speak with him again."

"Hmmm…This relationship you share with her… It goes beyond just a simple crush, doesn't it? You really do love her?"

"…Yes." Kouta answered with a bit of determination in his voice. "And I really want to help her with this mess with GenTek."

Cross looked up at the sky. "Guess this makes three…"

"Huh?"

"I've served alongside Alex for nine years now. I've seen countless Diclonii taken in by him, thankful for the protection he offers, etcetera, etcetera. But there has only been three times in my years as a Specialist and a Captain that I've seen such interaction between a human and a Diclonius. The other two…that's a story best saved for later. So, what did you wanna know?"

* * *

More static. More blurred figures, And another background she couldn't remember. _What are these dreams? _She thought as she found herself once again staring at a scene she couldn't recall. She was young again in this dream, laughing happily amongst the blurry figures and occasional static that emanated from them. She was almost at the point of trying to wake herself up, when the majority of the static coming from the figures disappeared, to reveal a rather in depth conversation. The first figure that spoke make her jaw drop.

"…shouldn't stay here too long, Akira." Alex Mercer's voice came from the tallest figure. "GenTek aren't going to allow me to walk freely after what I did."

"You did it for me and Nathan." The other figure replied in a voice that sounded precisely like Lucy's. "Saving our daughter from that hospital four years ago, and now chasing her kidnappers all the way to Tokyo…we owe you a lot." Lucy's eyes widened in shock and horror. _Are these…is she my…mother?_

"That's not something easily forgiven here in Japan." Alex's silhouette spoke again. "I may be looking at a bounty on my head again." A door nearby burst open and two more figures moved in. One of them still emitted the static when it spoke, but the one that followed spoke clearly in a young man's voice.

"Alex! Thank God, I knew I could trust you. Where's my daughter?"

"Here I am, daddy!" The young Lucy spoke up with a broad smile. "Uncle Alex brought me back."

A slur if static escaped the young man's silhouette before it rushed over to her and picked her up. Young Lucy settled in and rested her head on the figure's chest, closing her eyes and smiling. The figure turned to Alex's silhouette. "How can I…"

"Don't even finish that sentence." Alex's voice came. "I said I'd keep you all safe as best I can. I always keep my word."

* * *

"As far as that question goes, I can tell you that Alex Mercer _is_ linked to your girlfriend's past. Exactly how far, and what he did, I'm afraid I don't know." Cross told Kouta. "I know he, Seager, John, Dana and Keira all knew Lucy in the past. But that's as much as I can say for sure."

Kouta looked down. _This helps a bit. If they all knew her, I could go ask them. And I'm going to try and take Lucy to Keira a bit later, so…two leads now._ He gulped, exhaled and asked his next question.

* * *

The scene before her changed again. This time, young Lucy was standing behind a door that was seemingly closed, but upon further inspection she saw it was open a bit, just enough to let a sliver of light into the dark room. On the other side of the the door, three figures were speaking again.

"…can't do it. It's too dangerous." Alex Mercer's voice came from one again.

"Come on, bro." the young man's silhouette spoke again. "She already treats you like family. She looks up to you."

"I'm honoured that you'd ask me to play godfather, but it's just too dangerous." Alex replied again. "I have too many enemies. If they find out she's that close to me, she'll never be safe."

"But if she's with you, she will be." The woman spoke. "We've seen what you are and what you can do."

"Fuck yeah." The man said. "I know anyone who fucks with us is as good as ten years dead."

"Please. It would mean a lot to us…and to her."

A sigh came from Alex Mercer's silhouette. "I'll think about it. Right now you should all get some rest. You've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Fuck, I forgot about that." The man replied. "Well, see ya tomorrow, bro."

"What must I do to stop you from swearing so much?" The woman asked the man as their silhouettes moved to the room.

"Hmmm… Kiss me and well think about it…"

As the door closed, the figure that emitted Alex's voice turned to the door young Lucy was hiding behind. "You can come out now." He said calmly. "I know you're there." Both Lucy and Young Lucy flinched at this. Young Lucy slowly pushed open the door and walked out, hanging her head in a shameful way.

"Sorry, uncle." She whined.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Alex's voice came again.

"But…But…Won't daddy be angry that I spied on you?" she asked, looking up with a few tears in her eyes. Alex went down on his one knee and ruffled her hair. "There won't be anything to be angry about." Alex whispered. "Because you never heard this. Okay?" Young Lucy's face brightened up immediately.

"Okay!"

"Now go get some sleep. You need to wake up early tomorrow."

"Okay, Uncle Mercer!" Lucy's view followed her younger self to her room and watched as she pulled the blankets up to her chin and slept with a smile on her face.

* * *

"You see that statue over there, kid?" Cross asked Kouta as he motioned to a statue at the entrance to the landing bay with his head. "That's Nathan Riggs. He's… he was Alex's friend before and after he left GenTek. He's the one who died in 1997. His wife died in 1995. And his daughter…" He was interrupted as another group of soldiers entered the bay, and another helicopter landed. "You may want to consult Dana for the rest, seeing as Alex is out on one of his errands again. But first…" His expression turned serious again. "…you might want to go back to Lucy in case she wakes up."

Kouta's eyes widened as he remembered the reason he was investigating Alex in the first place.

"You said you love her, and I don't doubt she shares the same sentiments, so ten to one she's going to look for you the minute she wakes up."

Kouta's expression turned to one of worry. If she woke up, she'd probably be hysterical after what she found out. "Don't worry, kiddo. Dana's going to be in the Comms tower for the rest of the day. And if you want to see Seager… call his lazy ass. Now, I need to go. I hope I helped."

"You did. Thanks a lot. I…I think I know who Nathan Riggs' daughter is. The way you put it…it's kinda obvious." A determined expression crossed Kouta's face again. "But I want to hear it from Alex before I wholly believe it." Cross nodded with a faint smile. "But I have a last question for you, sir."

"I'm not your captain, Kid." Cross chuckled. "You don't need to call me sir. It's Robert."

"Okay then…" Kouta gulped, and exhaled. "I was wondering if you could tell me about the Supreme Hunter." Cross' smile vanished instantly, and Kouta became very nervous.

"The Supreme Hunter is Alex Mercer's greatest enemy. It is, apart from Alex, the most advanced strain of the Blacklight II virus. It's also one of the most dangerous creatures spawned from it."

"John said it nearly killed you once." Kouta stated.

"That it did." Cross nodded. "Three years after Alex defeated it in Detroit, and two years after Alex was put in charge of Blackwatch, it came back in a weakened state. It wanted to try to consume me, so it could gain access to Blackwatch and gain access to data on the Neo – Diclonius Queen."

"Neo-Diclonius?" Kouta asked with a puzzled expression.

"What we call people like your girlfriend." Cross said. "The New Breed, as Kakuzawa called them."

"But what does the Supreme Hunter want with the queen?" Kouta asked warily, having found out from Nana that Kakuzawa considered Lucy the queen.

"The Diclonius still kept in cells are measured by the thousands, in facilities all over Japan and possibly the whole globe. Such numbers could easily rid earth of humans, which both Kakuzawa and the Supreme Hunter want, but they'll only do so if they're queen commands it, their genes be damned. The Supreme Hunter knows this, and has since sought entry to the Diclonius' hive mind, so it could, in terms of power and intellect, prove itself the ruler of the Diclonii and empower them, so much so that they will actually destroy humanity." Kouta paled. "But in order to fully access their hive mind, the Hunter needs a Diclonius of pure blood, whose numbers very few, possibly five or six in total, or a queen, of whom there is only one. If he gains their trust, he can use it to overthrow any other queen and gain full control." Cross went on. "And once humanity is destroyed, and all other possible Diclonius rulers dead, it'll conveniently disappear, leaving the Diclonii without a ruler."

"Why would it do that?" Kouta asked.

"Without a leader to mobilise them, the Hunter could easily kill or consume the Diclonius ranks, efficiently destroying the majority of life on earth, leaving him to contaminate and control the rest."

"And doctor Mercer has been fighting this thing to stop that from happening?"

"Since the Neo-Diclonii came into existence, yes. Before that, it simply battled Alex for the sake of the advancement of the Blacklight II virus. I've only fought it once, and even in a weakened state it kicked my ass. Alex has, from what I can gather, fought it five times, seemingly killing it each time. And each time it comes back. Once it nearly killed Keira, in the battle for Detroit. Then you should have seen Alex blow his top."

"Keira's close to him, then?" Kouta asked.

"Yeah. Very close. To both him and Dana. When she was wounded, it was like he exploded. Literally. He sent some kind of shockwave out which sent even the Hunter, standing about 10 feet tall then, flying back. The battle that ensued was a real rationality-buster. Things happened then that defied all rules of life."

"What happened?" Kouta asked. This story was getting exciting.

"We contacted scientists who had experience with the original Diclonius virus, consequently renamed the Blacklight I virus. They claim that in a fraction of a second, Alex passed through at least eight evolutionary stages, putting his power on a near-godly level. Now you should see him."

"Can Blackwatch defeat the Supreme Hunter?" Kouta asked.

"No." Cross said, making Kouta's face falter. "Not without help." Noticing Kouta's defeated face, he carried on. "But although I can't tell you why, I can bear witness to something that might reassure you." Kouta looked at him questioningly. "Even if Blackwatch fails, I can swear that if the Hunter comes near you or your family, Alex will personally tear it apart, or die trying."

* * *

The door to the house given to the family creaked as Kouta entered, soaking wet from the rain. "Did you find out anything new?" Yuka asked, with a cup in her hand filled with a steaming, brown liquid. It smelled rather nice.

"Only that Alex was sort of a tyrant in the past. Pre – 1982. Very cold. I also found out about the Hero of Blackwatch." Kouta quickly lied. He decided on his way back that informing Yuka of the Supreme Hunter might have some disastrous repercussions.

"The statues of that guy everywhere on the island?"

"Yes. By the way, what is that?" Kouta asked, pointing at the cup.

"I have no idea, but it tastes excellent and it's keeping me calm after…" Her voice died out in mid-sentence as she started recalling what she had seen earlier.

"Have any of them woken up yet?" Kouta asked.

"Nana has." Yuka replied, taking a sip from the cup. "She's in her room. She's taking this very well. Almost well enough to make me worry." Yuka's voice wavered. "He scares me, Kouta."

"I know." He replied softly. "Me too. But I doubt he'll do anything to harm us."

"I know, I know." She exhaled. "He saved us, brought us here to safety, and so on and so forth. But did you see his hand? Those blades…they were so sharp they actually sparkled. It's normal that we'd be scared of such a thing. I mean, Lucy actually fainted!"

"I doubt it was because she was scared." Kouta replied in thought. "I think it was more because of the shock."

"Shock?" Yuka replied, now more frustrated than confused. "What could shock her into fainting?"

"She found out she's not really a Diclonius…at least, not like they were supposed to be…"

"Hold on." Yuka said with a tired expression. "Say what? Start from the beginning, please."

Kouta sat down and accepted a cup of what Yuka was drinking, and started telling her about everything that they had found out in Alex Mercer's office. His past with GenTek, the first virus for the Diclonius species, him killing GenTek's former director, everything up to the part that Lucy had fainted after Alex revealed he was supposed to be a Diclonius. Yuka's eyes grew wider with each word, and her cup started shaking rhythmically with her hands. "This… this is just too much." She said, shaking her head. "I…I need to get some fresh air. Will you stay here?"

"Yeah. Sure." Kouta said softly, caught up in his own thoughts about the day's revelations. Yuka exited the little house and turned down one of the concrete walkways, disappearing into the night. Meanwhile, Kouta pulled himself from his thoughts and decided to go check in on Nana and see if she's okay. When he entered her room, however, he was more shocked than he was as Alex's revelation. Nana was sitting huddled on her bed, crying silently into her knees. _Oh no, _he thought. _Not good. Is she thinking of her dad again?_

"Uh…Nana?" He called her attention, making her raise her head and wipe the tears from her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Uhm… Uh, nothing…" she replied, continuing to wipe her face clean. "It's…I…" Her tears came again, this time hard enough to make her whimpers and sobs audible. Kouta, not having an idea what to do in this situation, just walked over and hugged her. "I…heard…" she said through her sobs. "What you…told her…" _Oh no_, he thought. _Her too…I'm starting to think we'd be better off of we chose to leave this island to begin with…_ "I-is it true?" she asked as she looked up at him with teary eyes. "Am I really…not…" she started wailing again, making Kouta embrace her even tighter.

"I'm not sure…" he said. "I'm really not sure."

"But no matter what you are," Yuka said as she entered the room and sat next to Nana. "You're still a part of our family, and we love you all the same."

They lost track of how long they sat there, silently comforting Nana as she cried her heart out. When the light coming through the windows started to dim, she finally stopped and exhaled as she fell asleep, a few whimpers still coming from her mouth as she exhaled. Kouta sighed as he laid her back down in her bed. "I thought you were going for some fresh air?"

"I was, but it's freezing outside and I forgot my coat. When I came back I heard Nana crying."

"This is taking a lot out of her. Lucy too."

"What do we do?" Yuka asked dejectedly. "With that other company after us… do you think it's safe to go back to Kamakura?"

"You saw how they came after us back the house…" Kouta said, shaking his head as the vulgar memories from the chase started returning to him. "What if that happens again? What if they decide to send something worse?"

"Is that really possible? I mean, that helicopter…"

"You get my point, Yuka." Kouta sighed again. "I still doubt whether Blackwatch will actually keep us safe at all times. They're soldiers, and they're at war with GenTek. Do you really think they'd drop all their duties when we're in danger?"

"That's sure how they carried on at the bridge. I mean, Seager saved you from getting shot. Dwayne even came to our house knowing Lucy might…" she died out in mid-sentence. "Don't actions speak louder than words? They've given us so much, and even the highest ranking officers treat us with respect. Doesn't that prove anything? We've even been issued a V.I.P house saved for investors and top-ranking scientists."

Kouta looked down again. Yuka suddenly realised why he didn't feel safe here. "You're…scared. That Lucy might….

"Please. Don't say it." Kouta said, his voice wavering. "I…I wouldn't…"

"Don't worry about it." Yuka said, sitting next to Kouta and hugging him. "She has us. Her family. We'll help her get through this." _He really does love her, _she thought, fighting back tears of her own. _He only knew her since we met her at the beach, and he's smitten. What does she have that I don't? I don't understand!!! _Then she remembered what Alex had said: _"That's where you're mistaken.__They knew each other when they were kids. I'm sure he remembered that after the night she tried to leave."_

_That might help me,_ she thought. _I need to find Doctor Mercer again and find out what he meant when he said that._ They were startled when a noise came from the door. They looked up and found Lucy standing there, swaying and shaking slightly, with a few signs of pain on her features. But her eyes spoke differently…her eyes looked… _worried_.

"I…I'll leave you two for a minute." Yuka said, standing up and moving towards the door. "I'm going out now. I need to find someone." Lucy and Kouta followed her out of Nana's room and entered hers, closing the door behind them. An awkward silence followed.

"I heard." Lucy decided to break the silence. "I heard what you said to Yuka. Are you really worried that something might happen to me here?"

"I…I saw what happened…earlier in Alex's office…" Kouta said softly, with a shaky voice. "If that's the least that could happen…" His voice died for a few seconds. "I nearly lost you once. I'm scared it might happen again…"

Lucy's expression changed entirely. Instead of her normal emotionless mask, a look of pity and regret appeared. She walked over to Kouta who was now crying lightly, and embraced him. "I'm sorry…I thought it would be better for you if I stayed away…" She started crying too. "I'm sorry I caused you so much worry…I…I was trying to keep you safe…I was scared they'd come after you if I stayed…"

Kouta slowly returned the embrace. "I…I told you that night…I loved you…I still do…I…I thought you were…" He started crying even louder. Lucy only hugged him tighter. "I don't want to lose you again." He whispered to her.

"Don't worry" she said through her own tears. "You won't. As long as you want me to, I'll stay with you."

* * *

_Dammit!!!_ Yuka thought as she headed back to the house. _How long does this guy take to finish an errand?!? I mean, he left yesterday after Kouta came back! What could take so long!?_

"You seem agitated." A voice from above made Yuka jump. As she looked up, she saw a young woman with green hair and eyes. But her frustration reached it's peak when she saw the two horns on her head. They were similar to the ones Nyuu, or Lucy as Kouta called her, had before she came back. But these were…different. These were a bit longer, and sharper. With one fluid motion, the woman jumped over the steel railing on the balcony of the building's fourth floor. Yuka was about to scream, but with a majestic flip, she landed with both her feet on the side of the building and slid down, landing on both of her feet in front her. "Name's Keira. Keira Mercer."

"Mercer? You're related to Alex too?" Yuka asked, now getting bored of all the Mercers.

"Not by blood, no." Keira replied. "But I needed a surname when I travelled with him, so I guess Mercer was the best choice. I got kinda used to it. So, what's troubling you? Your cousin was walking around with the same expression earlier. It's something to do with Alex, isn't it?"

"Wha… How did you know?"

"Captain Cross says the 'family' residing here has been rather jumpy after meeting Alex. I can only guess that's why the steam's coming from your ears."

"Yeah, it's got to do with both Alex _and _my cousin."

"What did those poor men do this time?" Keira asked with a slight smirk.

"Alex told him and his girlfriend…"

"Lucy?"

"How did you…"

"Call it a hunch. Go on."

"Well, Alex told them something and they refuse to be entirely open with me about it. He told me most of what Alex told him, but he spoke to a few other people after that, and hasn't told me much about what he found out." Yuka whined. "It's driving me nuts!"

"I don't mean any offence when I say this, but is it really necessary that you know what he found out about _their_ past? I know you're interested in the Diclonius, of course you'd be. But their past is not exactly your business."

"Wh… what do you mean?"

"I mean, he spoke to me too. Tried to find out some stuff about Alex. I suspect it may be to prepare Lucy for when they speak to him again."

"But I don't see why Alex had to keep me and the rest out of that conversation…"

"There's method behind his madness." Keira calmly replied. "If I may ask, what do you know about Lucy's past? Before you found her on the beach."

"I…I know about what she is… a Diclonius or something. And that she and the rest of them are destined to end humanity."

"And where did you hear that? From her?"

"N-No…from Nana…"

"Exactly. Have you ever actually inquired about her past since she came back after that night?"

"No, not rea… wait, how do you know about that?"

"Uh… Intel." Keira quickly lied. _If this woman finds out we bombed that bridge, Alex will be in for a lot of shit…_ "But back to what you were saying, you said you didn't ask her yourself?"

"…No…" Yuka replied after a few seconds of silence.

"That's why Alex excluded you. You and the other two don't know shit about what happened before you found her on the beach. Your cousin, on the other hand…"

"Knew her as a kid, he told me that." Yuka said, frustration evident in her voice. "But he didn't say anything more. That's what's bothering me!"

"Listen, if you want to know how they knew each other as kids, ask Cross. He knows. He'll be back in his office in three hours. As for Alex… I think even God has trouble keeping tabs on him… Nobody knows when he'll be back."

"That's just great. Say, you're pretty good at this."

"This, meaning?"

"Helping people vent their frustration. I thought that was something only psychologists do."

"Well, I play the role of counsellor here at Blackwatch. Have been for seven years, so I'm kinda professional in it. You ever need to get something else outta your system, you come to me. I told your cousin the exact same thing…though I was a bit busy at the time."

"Just one last thing. If I want to leave the island, what do I do?"

"Uh…contact Dana at the comms tower. She'll issue you a pilot to take you to the docks. Of course, Seager or Hicks will have to accompany you."

"Yeah, I understand that. Thanks for your help."

"Anytime. Cheers." Keira took her leave, heading towards the central building that loomed across the island, ever intimidating. _Now, _Yuka thought, _we need some new clothes and supplies for the house. I'm sure not going to act like we're living luxuriously on this island. Neither should the other four… I should speak to Cross about that cleaner. We're certainly not going to need her anymore. Besides, with all the developments, I need to keep busy._

* * *

Back at the house, Kouta and Lucy had calmed down a bit, and were sitting down at the table, making conversation, speaking about their time as kids, everything that made Lucy smile. Kouta smiled, but hesitated for a bit when their conversation was going smoothly.

"What's wrong?' Lucy asked, looking him in the eye. Kouta hesitated a while longer, before exhaling and speaking up.

"I found out about something else. Something I didn't tell Yuka about." Kouta hesitated again. "I found out about someone… or some_thing_ that wants to get at you, possibly more than that director does." Lucy's expression hardened a bit. "From what I can gather, it's some kind of rogue version of what doctor Mercer is."

"Meaning?" Lucy asked softly.

"Meaning it's almost as powerful as he is." Kouta sighed dejectedly. "It's… It managed to defeat Dwayne in a very short time, and nearly killed Captain Cross in a weakened state. John warned me to grab you and run if we ever came across it."

"But what is it?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know." Kouta said. "I really don't know. I get the feeling it's beyond description. I just know it's capable of destroying Blackwatch. And most of Alex's friends." Lucy gazed down. Kouta could see her grinding her teeth slightly. "But…" He started, but trailed off for a few seconds. "John suggested something to me." This caused Lucy to look up and meet his gaze. "He recommended that I learn how to use a gun. In case the monsters come after us."

"And?" Lucy asked. "Are you going to?"

"I don't know." Kouta sighed again. "There are lots of things I don't know about. But if it can help in protecting you…" Lucy's eyes widened a bit. "I'll happily learn how. Even if it means going through the whole Blackwatch training schedule. Twice." Kouta said with a smile. Lucy felt her face heat up and returned the smile, ignoring the blush.

But her smile vanished when Yuka got back. The mood immediately darkened. "I'm going to Kamakura for a few hours. The house needs some supplies, and we need new clothes. I suggest you all come along. Has Mayu woken up yet?"

"Uh… No. Not yet. I'll go wake them."

"While you're busy with that, I'll go organise our transport." She said with a false smile. _They're at it again. I just don't understand…_ She turned, and left as fast as she entered, muttering under her breath.

"Well, guess I need to go wake them. We can't stay in these clothes too long." Kouta told Lucy with a chuckle. "I'll be right back." When Kouta knocked on Nana's door, it was opened by Mayu. "Oh, you're awake." Kouta smiled.

"Yes. It's… It feels kind of weird here…" Mayu said softly, opening the door to let Kouta in. Nana was sitting upright in her bed. She smiled when she saw Kouta.

"You're awake again." Kouta observed. "So soon?"

"Yeah…" Nana had said with a goofy grin. "I cried into my pillow earlier. The wetness woke me up…" Mayu sat down on the end of the bed.

"Nana told me about what you found out from doctor Mercer…" She said softly. "About her and Nyuu being lied to. What we saw earlier… Alex's hands… Was that real?"

"Afraid so." Kouta said. "He's as real as we are." Mayu looked over to Nana, then she looked down.

"Just when we thought it would be normal again, this goes and happens…" She said with a whimper. Nana saw this and immediately hugged her friend.

"It's okay Mayu. It's still normal. At least, kind of…" This made Kouta smile again, as Lucy also entered the room.

"Yuka told us to let you know we're going to town for a few hours." Kouta said. "You two should get dressed. She said we need clothes and food." His last words made Nana rocket out of bed so fast her arms came off while they were still around Mayu. Lucy surprisingly giggled slightly at the ensuing chaos. Kouta looked at her and smiled. Lucy saw this and a slight tinge of pink appeared on her cheeks.

"So when are we going!?" Nana suddenly drew their attention. When Kouta turned to her, however, his jaw dropped. Nana was already fully dressed, pjs tossed onto her bed, and skipping up and down out of excitement. Kouta shook his head again with a smile.

"As soon as Yuka gets back, she's organising our transport. Kamakura is quite far from here…You can only just see it if you stand at the edge of the island."

"I wonder if one of our guards will have to go with us…" Mayu said sheepishly. She had been growing a bit more withdrawn since the incident at the inn. She rarely smiled, only doing so when playing with Wanta or when she was with Nana. _All thanks to them,_ Kouta thought. _GenTek. The real monsters._

"One of them will, probably." Kouta spoke up. "Or maybe both of them. I'll ring them and hear." He walked over to the phone, and punched Seager's cell number. After a few rings, he answered in the same husky voice Kouta heard on the bridge. "Yeah?"

"Uhm, Ryan, it's Kouta here."

"Oh. How can I help?"

"Uhm, Yuka wants to go back to Kamakura… to buy new clothes and so on… We were just wondering how it works if we went."

"Uh, if Cross is here, you should report to him, then contact me or Hicks to accompany you. Both of us if you plan on splitting up. But seeing as he's not here, just let me know which landing bay you're using. I'll wait for you there."

"Okay, thanks. See you in a bit." The phone went dead, signalling that Seager had hung up. Kouta put the phone down again with a sigh of relief. "Seager's coming with us."

"Great!" Nana chimed a bit too loudly. "I saw him fight on the bridge…"

"We all did." Lucy interrupted nonchalantly.

Nana pouted at Lucy before continuing. "I'd feel safe if he came with us."

"He did heal very fast…" Mayu said in thought.

"I wonder what he meant when he said it was _literally_ just a scratch…" Kouta thought out loud. "Did it miss by such a distance?"

"Could be." Lucy answered. "But then why did he end up in hospital?"

"Alex's friends are strange…" Nana mused.

At that moment they heard the door open again, and Yuka entered the room. "Are you guys ready? Our helicopter is waiting at Landing Bay Four. Dana said we have two personal pilots. They'll take us off the island when we need to go out to town."

"A helicopter?" Mayu asked with a worried expression. "But…"

"Don't worry." Yuka said with a smile. "This one isn't dangerous."

"O…Okay. Just let me change."

"I'll let Seager know we're at Bay 4." Kouta stated as he picked up the phone. "We need some kind of help in case GenTek show their ugly faces again."

-----------------------------_**AT LANDING BAY 4-**_-------------------------------------

As the family approached the large chopper, they saw Seager and two other people discussing something at the rear entrance. For some reason Kouta felt worried about the trench coat Seager was donning… It reminded him of the coats in the mafia films, the ones they used to hide big guns under…

"Hey there!" Yuka called at him. He responded with a small wave, and waited for them to get to the heli. Mayu gulped slightly when they were in front of it. It was _very_ big, and had two rotors.

"Whoa, this thing's big." Kouta stated. "What is this?"

"A Seaknight. Troop carrier. Dana tried to organise a Blackhawk, but we've only got combat variants. She said she'll have a car waiting for us at the docks. Any idea how long this is going to take? I only brought a handful of ammo."

"We're only going to buy clothes and some food. It won't take too long." Yuka answered.

"Alright then. After you." He said as motioned with his hand towards the entrance at the back of the helicopter. They obliged, climbed the ramp and took their seats, lowering the bars to keep them in place during the flight. "This chopper can go at quite a speed if it wants to, so I suggest holding on when we take off and…" He was cut off as a jerk went through the chopper, causing Nana to hit her already aching head against the steel frame of the seat. "…land." Seager finished. "You okay, kid?"

"Yeah…" Nana replied through clenched teeth and closed eyes. She had hit her shoulder on the steel frame as well. "It'll go away soon."

"Uhm, Ryan." Yuka spoke up. "How much do you know about Dr. Mercer?"

The other four fell silent as they also waited in anticipation. "Wow. And there was silence. You guys sure are a curious bunch." He said, adjusting the shades and headband he was wearing, before adjusting the bandana over his mouth. "Where should I start?"

"Alex said you joined his group in the past. Could you go into detail about that?"

"Yeah, why not." He replied, taking a seat. Oddly enough, he had to adjust something in his coat before he did. "I travelled with him since '86. Joined his men in… uhh… I think '94, after he pulled me from another GenTek lab."

"You came from GenTek too?"

"Yup." He replied, pulling his shirt to the left to reveal a tribal-shaped black tattoo. "I was the one of the first Genocide Angels."

"Like Jo and that other one… Alicia, I think…"

"Yeah, like them. Only… call it a defect, but my conscience never left me. I couldn't be the killing machine they wanted. Not all the time, at least. All the other male specimens showed the same traits, so they were all terminated. They switched to female specimens, and received positive results. Fuck knows why. I escaped, but got my ass caught again. Alex pulled me out in 1986, and I travelled with his group till '94, when I joined up. Saw him a few times in the labs, though. Ruthless motherfucker at the time."

"What was he like then?" Kouta asked. "I hear everyone says that he was a cold man."

"Cold hardly describes him. I saw what he did to insubordinates… and specimens left from Kakuzawa Sr.'s rule. I was scared shitless when he appeared in my cell."

"Sounds rough." Lucy mused.

"Once, I saw a scientist disobey him and start a speech on standards and morals. He never finished that speech. Got his sorry ass impaled. Another time I saw him deal with a riot."

"Which John's father started?" Kouta filled in, making the other four family members glare at him with large eyes.

"Yup. That happened in 1980. What I saw still haunts me. I saw those who started the riot torn limb from limb. When the rest tried to fight him, he used those clawed hands of his. Started cleaving the poor assholes into bits. The blood covered about four city blocks. No one survived."

"And he changed after that?"

"He was a changed man when he saved me in '86. Don't know about before that."

"And what did you do in the time you travelled with him?"

"We sabotaged GenTek. Cost them millions. And laughed at them while doing it."

"How did Keira join the group?" Yuka asked.

"You met her?" Kouta asked. "When?"

"About an hour after you decided _not_ to tell me _you_ met her." Yuka replied with an edge in her voice, making Kouta stutter and turn away.

"You met another one?" Lucy asked with a blank expression. "Like me?"

"I was going to tell you, but with everything that happened after you woke up…" his voice died away.

"It's okay…" Lucy replied with a distant look in her eyes.

"She told me she'll be at the armoury tomorrow at eight. We should go if we want to find out more about this place."

"…okay…" she replied softly as they turned their attention back to Seager.

"Keira was a runaway Diclonius when she met Alex. He saved her from S.A.T in 1990, when she was about six years old. She was kinda rabid, but Alex got through to her that same day."

"How?" Lucy suddenly asked. "I saw how renegade ones like me were… They were killed."

"Nobody knows. But she became very affectionate towards Alex. Also cares a great deal about Dana. I remember, when we hired Jo and the rest of them, Jo made the mistake of drawing her guns on Dana. Keira was standing next to Dana at that time. But the minute Jo grabbed for her guns, Keira was in front of her, sword held ready at her throat. That one is impossibly fast, even for a Diclonius. Looks like she teleports when she moves… Anyways, in 1994, when I actually became a member of Alex's guerrilla group, she turned ten years old. She complained that she as hearing voices, urging her to kill. Alex started searching for a solution, but he was a bit too late. When she was eleven, she turned suicidal and drove her hands into a power terminal. The electricity nearly killed her, but Alex saved her… again. Voices stopped, all was well."

"She sounds quite strong-willed." Mayu thought aloud.

"Strong-willed enough to be the _only_ person in Blackwatch to defeat Captain Cross in combat." That part made the family members' jaws drop in unison. "She's also got a fucking sniper tongue on her. You can't verbally attack her without getting scarred. And her skill with her blades… I'm not even going there. Anyhow, Kid," he looked at Kouta. "Do you remember that I told you I only ever saw three Diclonii who were affectionate to a normal human?"

"Yeah, I do. What about it?"

"I say affectionate when I mean the look in their eyes." The family's expressions all became confused. "Normally, when a Diclonius looks at a human, it's either with fear, for what they're about to do, or hate, for what they have done. Now, what I say when I speak about Lucy is that her eyes change completely, showing every positive emotion one can name. Love, care, kindness, etcetera. I've seen Lucy look at you with those eyes, that's why I saved you on the bridge. The others… This may or may not gross you out, but Keira looks at Alex with the same eyes Lucy looks at you with."

"Keira's in love with Dr. Mercer?" Lucy asked, a shocked expression on her face.

"Has been since he saved her from the power terminal. She hides it very well. John and I are the only ones who've noticed so far. She tried to deny it at first, but she's slowly giving in to her emotions. Though I doubt she actually knows what to call her feelings. Most of us bet on love. Dana still doesn't know, the dumb cow."

"Then…who's the third one? Someone we know?" Yuka asked. Seager grew silent at this question. He had a distant look in his eyes, and his expression saddened.

"You'll have to excuse me if I answer this slowly." He sighed, and turned to them while fidgeting with one of his trench coat's inner pockets. After a few moments, he removed his hands and showed them a golden ring with a diamond in the centre. "The third Diclonius was my wife."

"Was… You mean…"

"She died four years ago. The voices drove her insane. She lost it completely."

"Oh my… I… I'm so sorry… I didn't…"

"No need to be sorry." Seager said, placing the ring back in his inner pocket.

"How did she… You know…" Kouta started, for the first time ignoring Yuka's dreaded Death Glare.

"She was killing people wherever she went. Alex was planning to kill her himself, but I convinced him into letting me take her down. She regained some of her sanity after she saw me. She begged me to shoot her." He gulped and blinked a few times. "And I did. Tore me apart, but I shot her." Mayu and Nana were silently crying in their seats, as they were holding each other while Kouta and Yuka sat with sorrowful expressions. Lucy still had a distant look on her face. "Please, excuse my heavy heart." Seager spoke. "That's behind me. Something similar happened to John about a year after… Yeah. You know now."

"Did his wife die too?" Lucy asked.

"His girlfriend. Murdered. Dead in his arms. He lost his kid too. His girlfriend was pregnant when she died."

"What did John do?"

"He changed completely after that. Started killing with renewed ferocity after that. A true Beast. No remorse, no pity, nothing."

"Who killed his wife?" Yuka asked.

"I must ask you beforehand not to judge this particular person. It was an accident."

"We won't." Kouta spoke.

"Promise." Yuka said.

"Fine then. Three years ago, Jo killed his girlfriend by accident. He swore he'd get her back. His abilities… He told me that he was going to cut one wound into her for every day he had to suffer. You should have seen him when he found out that Jo would be accepting freelance work from Alex."

"He probably exploded." Lucy mused.

"Alex had to team up with Captain Cross and Keira to take him down. If they didn't stop him, half of Kamakura would have been levelled. She continuously tries to apologise, but with her cold, stoic personality, he doesn't believe her."

"He seems to have a rather potent ability." Yuka thought aloud.

"He'll show you once he trusts you enough. Just a warning beforehand, keep some weak sedatives handy. You will freak out." Seager said before leaning over to Kouta and Lucy. "I'll tell you two about the Supreme Hunter later, when your friends aren't around…" He glanced at Yuka, Nana and Mayu. "With what I know, it's better they're not present…"

The chatter was interrupted when the pilot called their attention. "We're about two minutes away from the docks. Brace yourselves."

"For what?" Yuka asked.

"That pilot is Reynald Rudd. Great flyer, shitty lander. His co-pilot, Melissa Johnson, sucks just as much with her…" He was cut off again as another jerk went through the chopper, then a few shakes before the rotors died down. "Landings…" Seager finished with a sigh.

"Ow…" Kouta groaned as he held his stomach in pain…

"We need new pilots…" Mayu softly whispered to Nana, making her giggle.

"Told you." Seager said, a smile visible behind the bandana across his mouth. With a sudden humming sound, the rear end of the helicopter opened and the smell of the sea filled the chopper. "Aw, Christ…" Seager sighed. He turned to the pilot. "Dammit, Rudd! Why the hell did you have to land on the jetty!?"

"It seemed a good idea at the time." He said nonchalantly.

"Fuck this. Let's just go." Seager said with annoyance in his voice. As they stepped onto the wooden jetty, a few creaks came from under their feet. "We should get going." Yuka said, out of breath from her giggling. "Let's go get some clothes first."

--------------------------------_**AT THE CLOTHING STORE**_---------------------------

"Women and clothing stores…" Seager said as he and Kouta stood outside the women's changing stalls in the store. "Not a good combination."

"How long have they been in there?" Kouta asked, setting down the bags that had his new clothes in. "It feels like they've been in there forever." Seager glanced at his watch. "One hour, forty-two minutes." He shook his head.

"Sounds like you drew the short straw there, bro." A voice came over Seager's radio.

"Shut it, Hicks." Seager spoke into it.

"Haha. Shopping with chicks. What a job for a soldier…"

"Keep it up, Aaron…" Seager's left eye twitched. "You'll get yours when I get back…" Hicks' reply was cut short when four feminine voices came from behind the door to the stalls. Seager quickly spoke into his radio. "Hold on, I need to lie my way out of something here." This made Kouta chuckle a bit. Seager quickly clicked his radio off and shoved it in his pocket, milliseconds before the door burst open and the four came strutting out, smiling widely. "How do we look?" Yuka asked.

Kouta took his time to observe how each girl looked. "You all look wonderful!" He replied with a broad smile. They turned to Seager, who busying himself on his mobile phone. He looked up when Yuka cleared her throat and carefully observed all four girls. "It took you…" He glanced at his watch. "…an hour and forty-four minutes to try on one set of clothes?" Yuka nearly fell over.

"You're supposed to compliment us!" She whined when she got up. Nana and Mayu only shook their heads, while Lucy was still looking down at the clothes she wore with an unimpressed look on her face. No doubt she didn't have a choice in what she was wearing now…

Seager looked at all four again, very carefully. "What's to compliment? You look the same as you did when we came in." Kouta very nearly laughed out loud. Nana and Mayu giggled when they saw Yuka's left eye twitch. Lucy was still observing herself. "Relax." He said again. "I'm only joking. You all look great."

All of the girls' faces brightened, as they smiled broadly. All except Lucy, who was still staring blankly at the summer dress she was wearing. "Is something wrong?" Kouta asked her as Seager graciously paid for all the clothes.

"It's hard to walk in this…" She replied, pulling the fibres away from her body. "It's hard to do anything." Kouta could only chuckle as Lucy continued to struggle with the dress. She paused once to look at him, and smiled when she saw how happy he seemed.

"Okay, where next?" Seager asked as they headed towards the exit of the store. He seemed extremely grateful that this was over.

"The mall." Yuka said brightly as Mayu and Nana cheered. Lucy still had a indifferent expression on her face. "Oh, yay. The mall. How nice." Seager replied falsely. As soon as the trio turned away, Kouta heard him mutter: "Dear God, shoot me now and get it over with…" Apparently Lucy heard this too, since she started giggling. "You two brace yourselves…" Seager said as he looked at them. "This is gonna be a long day…" Kouta and Lucy could only smile in return, and as she latched onto his arm, they followed the babbling trio ahead of them the mall.

-------------------------_**SIX HOURS LATER : 7:00pm**_--------------------------------

"Motherfuck this." Seager said as he slumped into the seat of helicopter, not even bothering to bring down the bars. "Next time I'm sending Hicks…"

"Come on…" Nana smiled. "It wasn't _that_ bad…"

"No, you're right. It was _worse_. You said you needed _food_."

"We did…" Yuka said innocently.

"Yeah, you went to the supermarket. And the cosmetics store. And jeweller. And the…"

"Okay, I get it." Yuka said, finally giving in. "We went a little overboard…"

"A _little_!?" Kouta exclaimed. "You emptied the stores!"

"And we were the poor fuckers who had to carry all the bags." Seager piped up.

"That's what you two are good for." Yuka said. Seager shook his head. He leaned over to Kouta and Lucy, who were holding hands in their seats.

"You know, sometimes in shows and novels you hear about that voice in the back of your head?" Kouta and Lucy both nodded. "Mine's making me wanna shoot her now…" Kouta chuckled and Lucy smiled.

"See what I go through every day?" Kouta said. This surprisingly made Lucy stifle a laugh. Yuka shot a death glare in their direction, before looking at Kouta and Lucy's entwined hands and dejectedly turned away. Seager saw this, and an evil smile formed on his lips. _Aha… Incest. Scary… _He was interrupted when the chopper shook violently.

"Goddammit, Rudd! What the fuck!?" He yelled.

"We're back at the base." The pilot said with a cocky smile.

"Fucking finally!" Seager exclaimed. "I still say I'm sending Hicks next time. I wasn't joking. His… talents are better suited for this kind of thing. Well, I'm off. Enjoy the rest of your night." He said with a haphazard salute.

"Bye!" They all said as he left the chopper muttering under his breath. "He's a nice guy." Yuka commented as they all exited the large helicopter. "But his language needs some tending to…"

"He's a soldier, Yuka." Kouta stated. "That's how they speak."

"And how would you know?" Yuka retorted.

"I spoke to a few of them earlier. Each one's words are worse than the other's…"

They engaged in light conversation about the day's activities as they walked to the luxurious little house Alex Mercer issued them. Except for Lucy. She was still eyeing the dress she was wearing curiously. Some of the topics that they spoke of were Blackwatch in itself, a topic which Lucy decided to listen in to, the trip to Kamakura, and Seager and his past. "I still can't believe he's one of those… uh…" Yuka trailed off.

"Angels?" Mayu filled in softly.

"Yeah. I wonder if that silver-haired girl knows…" She wondered aloud. "Shouldn't he be like an Alpha Male if the rest of the men are dead?" The group discussed this possibility until they reached the front door. _We're finally back, _Kouta thought. _I see what Seager meant when he said we were in for a long day…_

After they finished unpacking all the bags, Kouta slumped into a chair in the living room area. He had to admit, shopping with women was quite a task, especially when they had a rather large sum to spend, courtesy of a certain military firm. _How do they last so long? Normal girls are supposed to be tired after such a trip…_

"Tired?" a voice behind him made him whip his head around. Lucy stood in the doorway, finally rid of the dress that was irritating her.

"You bet." He replied with a weak smile. "I don't know how they keep it up…"

"Neither do I…" She replied, sitting down next to him. "Things have calmed down a bit since we came here."

"Yeah, it has been a bit quieter." Kouta replied, deep in thought. "Except for Dr. Mercer's revelations and the powers of his friends, things are quite… normal."

"He does have quite an interesting inner circle." Lucy said. "All… unique. In their own way." She yawned.

"We can learn more about him, if you want to." He said, taking her hand in his. "The other Diclonius, Keira, said she'd answer our questions about him if we meet her at the armoury at eight tomorrow morning. What do you say about that?"

Lucy slowly rested her head on his chest as he put an arm around her. "I'll decide tomorrow. I'm tired now…" She muttered as she dozed off without a second's hesitation. Kouta smiled warmly as she settled in. He quickly adjusted himself, set an alarm on the small clock radio next to him, and slept himself, thinking about how things were finally turning back to normal, how it was when Lucy came to them for those few days.

-----------------------------_**7:50 the next morning-**_--------------------------------

It was unusually cold when the makeshift family woke up. A quick look through the window showed that most of the facility was covered in mist, and it was raining heavily. Lucy shuddered as she stalked off to her room, rubbing her bare arms as she went, while Kouta quickly walked to the kitchen in search of something warm to drink. He didn't know why it could get so cold on this island, but couldn't think of it any further when he saw Yuka already standing in the kitchen, one of the blankets of her bed wrapped tightly around her while she made a cup of brown liquid she was drinking the day before. "Uh… morning." He greeted with a smile. "Sleep well?"

"As well as I could until this weather came." She said in a soft voice. She looked a bit down.

"What's wrong?" He asked. His voice took on a worried tone.

"There's still a few things I don't understand. One is how Dr. Mercer knows about your past, how much he knows about Lucy and Nana and how much he knows about their race in general. But each time I try to find out, no one can help! Alex isn't even here, he's been gone for the past two days. And everyone else knows about nothing. It's driving me insane!"

_I wonder if I should tell her…_ Kouta thought as he looked at his cousin. "Uhm… The other Diclonius, Keira, you said you know her?"

"Yeah, I met her yesterday. Why?"

"She said she'd tell me and Lucy about Alex if we met her at the armoury." Kouta said, watching Yuka's expression lighten. "Do you want to come along?"

Yuka's response was quicker than he had predicted. "No." She said with a worried look. "No, I don't like it when guns are going off. I had enough of that when Dwayne came to get us from the inn." She turned her attention away from him when a click came from a kettle she had switched on. "Could you tell me what you find out, though? I mean, she seems close to Alex, she's bound to know quite a bit."

"Yeah, sure I will." Kouta said, turning around as Lucy entered the kitchen donning a leather jacket and scarf they bought her the day before. "Ready to go?" Kouta asked her with a smile, making Yuka turn away from them with a grunt.

"As I'll ever be."

The two winced as the door to the armoury opened. Gunshots echoed through the steel building, while light explosions could be heard further on. "This way." Kouta told Lucy with a hand on his right ear. He took her hand and led her to the large steel door leading to the weapons storeroom. He quickly hit the buzzer on the intercom. "Christ, just hit the blue button!" John Steele voice rang through the speaker. Kouta paled as he hit the blue button next to the intercom, and the door shifted sideways into the wall.

When they were inside, they noticed the place was empty except for a group near the back of the room. As they walked closer, one of the men turned around. "Sup, people?" Dwayne asked grinning broadly. "You two come to shoot at shit too?"

"I doubt it." John growled from behind the counter of the caged area. "Seems they're looking for someone. Smells like it too."

"Huh?" Kouta gaped at John's last remark.

"Ignore him." A woman's voice came from behind them and as they turned, a young woman with green hair and eyes entered the room as well. This woman wore cargo pants, a tank top and a leather jacket similar to Lucy's. Her hair was tied into a ponytail behind her head, and two cat-ear like horns protruded from her head. "It's his way of making sure of stuff." Keira said as she walked towards the group quickly. "Sorry I'm late, I got a bit sidetracked on the way here. Unlike you two, I refuse to use a map. This way." She motioned towards a door near some of the weapon racks. "Up to ya old kinky shit again, ain't you?" Dwayne grinned.

"Jealousy makes you nasty…" Keira said with a cocky smirk, making Dwayne shut up and turn his attention back to John, who was busy sharpening a rather long knife. "What's that for, beastie?" Keira asked Kouta's question for him.

"My fight with that other bitch is tomorrow." John growled, frowning. "Alex let me know at the Comms tower yesterday."

"Ah." Keira said with a false smile. "Hey, Dwayne!" she called, making the ex-gangster look up at her again. "Fifty bucks says Jo lasts more than half an hour."

"You got yo'self a done deal, woman!" Dwayne smiled evilly. "Easy pickings." Kouta heard him say as he and Lucy followed Keira to the door. When they entered, Keira made sure to lock the door. "What's going on?" Kouta asked.

"We can't have the soldiers find out about Alex's past. It may cause them to go rogue, like the one soldier we had. He's dead now, though." She clicked one of the switches on the wall, and the small room was illuminated to reveal a completely white interior, with a table and eight chairs in the centre. "What is this place?" Kouta asked.

"A Safe Zone." Keira replied. "They're scattered all over the fortress, in case of an emergency. Alex's inner circle use it the most." She sat down on one of the chairs, and motioned for him and Lucy to do the same. "So, what do you wanna know about the good doctor?"

"How did you meet him?" Lucy asked. Her face was still unreadable.

"I met him about two months after I broke out of a helicopter taking me to one of GenTek's overseas investors. I landed in a small park and broke my leg. I was still six years old at the time, so I didn't know much on how to use my vectors. Most people just ignored me, but one of them actually noticed me sitting by the tree."

"And that person was Doctor Mercer?" Kouta asked.

"Yup. He tried to help me, but at first I didn't want shit to do with humans. Not after they hurt me so much. You see, I wasn't born with these horns. I was taken from my parents when I was three. They were killed, I was put through numerous experiments. I turned into this. Alex said something about a test whether a large enough dose of this virus could have immediate effects on the host. Apparently, I was test subject. Anyway, Alex managed to get through to me after a while. He fixed my leg, and I started to travel with him and Dana. I grew fond of them, haven't left their side since."

"Seager told us that you…uh…" Kouta tried to find a word that would not make her beat his teeth out.

"Love Alex?" Keira filled in. "Go figure. He and John can't stop fucking with me about it… Listen, even I'm not sure what I feel now, 'cause I've never felt it before. It doesn't really matter much to me." She said with a bored expression. "Next question?"

"Can you say _exactly _what Alex is?" Kouta asked.

"Alex, as you know, is the first and, excuse the insult, Lucy, the most potent attempt at a new species. He was turned in…uh… I think 1954. Over the years he's honed his skills to a near-godly level. Back then he could run as fast as a normal car, now he can sprint against supercars and cover a quarter mile in about three seconds, maybe less. He can also lift a tank with one hand, scale a scyscraper vertically, dodge bullets with ease and jump about fifty feet. Real superhuman shit." She smiled when both Lucy and Kouta's jaw dropped.

"How did he come to know the Diclonius?" Lucy asked. "Apart from meeting you."

"When he was still with GenTek, during 1982, he saw a certain Diclonius get tortured by the Director Junior himself. Alex blew his top, corrupted the data on all GenTek's medical research, killed about 400 guards and broke the Diclonius outta isolation. That Diclonius travelled with him and Dana, and when I joined, became quite good friends with me. The two of us prompted Alex to start learning everything he could about the Diclonii, especially when we started hearing the voices."

"What voices?" Lucy asked, her face suddenly turning serious.

"The other Diclonius, Anne, complained about hearing her own voice in her head urging her to kill people. I started with the same symptoms a bit after she did. We also spaced out sometimes, and didn't remember shit when we came to. Dana told me we were in some sort of trance." She looked at Lucy for a while. "Do you hear them too?

"I did." Lucy replied, looking down so her hair fell over her face again. "Not anymore…"

"How did you two stop them?" Kouta asked, putting an arm around Lucy's shoulders.

"I did by going mental. I take it you heard from Seager about the power terminal?" She said with a maniacal smile. "That was quite riveting. As for Anne… She got over her voices when she and Seager started going out."

"She was Seager's wife?" Kouta asked. "The one who died?"

"Yeah. That one." Keira said with a grave expression. "Seems she didn't get over her voices. They started affecting her again when Seager got hurt once. She was a very potent Diclonius. Sixteen vectors, each spanning about eight metres. The voices caused her mind to unhinge. She didn't remember anyone or anything. She only knew she had to kill."

"So what happened when Anne went rogue?" Lucy asked, looking up.

"Alex attacked her, would've killed her if Seager didn't beg him to let him speak to her. What followed… Quite a battle. Seager, being some kind of King Genocide Angel, going up against a Diclonius as strong as Anne… Didn't exactly do the facility much good."

"How did Seager win?"

"Anne remembered him. Started fighting her voices for his sake. She begged him to save her. Release her from her torment and other shit." Keira said. When she saw Kouta nod, she spoke again. "I'm glad you understood what that meant, Alex had to explain it to me first."

"So Seager killed her?" Lucy asked, her face becoming emotionless again.

"Yup. But it destroyed him. He's a broken man now. His skill with any weapon is unrivalled, but Alex keeps him on grunt duty because of how weak he became after Anne died. If it weren't for that, Seager would be on the same par as John and Dwayne. He was incredibly vicious, able to take bullets to his head without falling. He could eat at least 1700 bullets before effects of pain started showing, an amazing number even for a Genocide Angel, even for one trained by Alex and his friends.

"Speaking of them, I noticed they're not exactly very normal people." Kouta said. "What makes them so special?"

"Dwayne is easy to explain, he can conduct, amass and redirect electricity through his body. He calls it badass, but he doesn't grasp how potent his powers really are. He's really laid back, doesn't make many friends. Only accomplices. Alex, Dana and John are his only friends. If he were to blow his top one day… he might even beat Alex. He knows that." She saw Kouta's expression at these words and laughed. "But that's a big maybe, Kid."

"And what about John?" Lucy asked. "Why do they call him Beast?"

"John's genetic code was rewritten when Kakuzawa Senior captured him. His body can mutate. Grow in size and strength, as well as grow plates of bone as armour. His strength in that form is about eighteen times stronger than a normal human, though his speed and size make his attacks quite clumsy. They're still lethal, though."

"What do you mean by mutate? He changes shape?" Kouta asked, a bit confused at the revelations of Alex Mercer's friends.

"He'll show you when he trusts you enough. He knows you're going to be here quite a while, so that's a bonus." Keira said nonchalantly.

"What do you know about his rivalry with that silver-haired girl?" Kouta asked, recomposing himself.

"Quite a lot. I was there when she killed his girlfriend." Keira said darkly. "Needless to say, I don't get along with her either. She treats everyone the same. Very uncaring personality. Very indifferent. She only fights for Meg, when she gets her sorry ass abducted."

"So how did it happen?" Lucy asked.

"I didn't see exactly, I was trying to keep Sei from interfering. I know now that she was trying to stop Jo, tell her it was all a scam. But, she was touting a gun. And if I see someone armed running at my allies, I do my best to stop them. I turned around when I heard John cry out. I saw his girlfriend, pregnant at the time, die in his arms. Then I saw his reaction." Worry spread over Keira's features. "I've been rather careful of him since that day. If Dwayne and Seager hadn't helped me to stop him, Jo would be dead now. I've known him since 1995, and I've never seen him fight like he did that day."

"So that's why he's so… uncaring towards her?" Kouta chose his words carefully. Keira laughed.

"Uncaring is an understatement. He's changed completely that day. He swore to God that he'd pay her back for what she did to him. But I know him. Their fight tomorrow won't last very long, but he won't kill her. Not when he has the chance to make her feel even a decimal percentage of the pain she caused him. Death would actually save her from him. And his skills, even without his mutated form, are more than enough to make me doubt in Jo's abilities, even with her tattoo."

"What skills do the people in Alex's inner circle have?" Kouta asked, making Keira raise an eyebrow and grin. "Uh…I'm just trying to find out as much as I can about Alex and his friends. To help my family." Kouta said softly.

"I don't blame you…" Keira replied. "Where do we start?"

"How about Dwayne?"

"His skills were all learned on the streets in Detroit, in America. He's quite a shooter, his aim is _nothing_ like a gangster's. And he's good in hand to hand combat. He taught himself boxing and one or two other martial arts when he was young. Combine that with his power, and you've got an electrifying combo. No pun intended." She smiled. "Though he is quite dumb. I think that stops him from using his powers to their full potential. Doesn't think about what to do, or how to listen during the mission briefings. Who next?"

"How about you?" Lucy said, looking up. "I sense your vectors are a bit defective."

"Yeah." She replied. "Because I wasn't born with them, they took on a more solidified state. They can't cut through anything, but they can beat the crap out of an insubordinate. And wield the four daggers I carry into missions. I'm also quite fast, ranking second in speed in Blackwatch. I keep active in acrobatics and parkour, to keep myself in an agile state, I've mastered four hand to hand fighting styles, and I'm the best swordsman – sorry, swordswoman Blackwatch has. Trained with two katanas for about fifteen years, since a few years after Alex found me."

"So you're over-effective now, instead of defective?" Lucy asked.

"Yup." Keira said, smiling broadly. "I'm also known to be quite demented, sarcastic and murderous in my own right. Next?"

"Captain Cross." Kouta said, a stern look on his face. "I hear about how he's so great and such an expert. Why?" Keira laughed again.

"Kid, Cross is not your normal specialist. Dwayne is scared shitless of him. And with good reason. When it comes to combat ability, he shares second place with John. He served with Alex since we came here in 2001. There is _nothing_ in biological war he hasn't seen yet. He's prepared for anything, and can take any biological anomaly down reasonably quick. He's mastered over nine fighting styles, he's quite fast and dangerously agile for a man his age, and his skill on the battlefield is unrivalled. He's a great strategist, and an even better Captain. He once took me, John and Dwayne at the same time and won. He lasted forty-seven minutes in a sparring session against Alex, a record that hasn't been broken in six years. There is nothing he can't handle."

"Sounds like some kind of hero here." Lucy mused.

"If a soldier doesn't idolise Nathan Riggs, they idolise him." Keira said. "Who next?"

"John." Kouta and Lucy said in unison.

"Good old Beastie, huh?" Keira grinned evilly. "You knows he's on par with Captain Cross. He's a true commando. Fights with that big knife you saw back there, as well as a special bow Alex made for him. One of the arrow types actually flies faster than a bullet. John enlisted in Blackwatch shortly after his girlfriend died. He's the most accurate shooter in Blackwatch, with his bow or a gun. He's never missed a target. He's mastered eight fighting styles, and mixes them together when he fights, thus making his attacks very random and very dangerous. His skill with that knife of his is enough to make Captain Cross worry, and that bow of his has enough power to make Alex stagger if it hits him. But, almost none of the soldiers know of his true skill, and he prefers it that way. A real dark horse."

"What about the Supreme Hunter?" Kouta asked softly.

"I was wondering when you'd get to that." Keira said. "I've only seen it twice, though. Once in 1993, I watched Alex fight and beat it. And in 2000, I took part in a battle against it, where I got owned by it quite quickly."

"How?" Lucy asked.

"That thing's got stamina." Keira answered. "I got tired long before it even started showing symptoms of fatigue. Needless to say, it took advantage and impaled me on an attack similar to Alex's Groundspike attack."

"Groundspike?" Lucy asked with a puzzled look.

"You know he's all biomass, right?" Keira asked, getting a nod from Kouta and Lucy. "Now, he can solidify that biomass into a sort of shard or spike that erupts from the ground under his target." Kouta's eyes widened. "The Hunter used a similar attack on me. But hey, I was like, sixteen at the time. Not nearly as strong as I am now."

"How does it look?" Lucy asked.

"There isn't a very solid description of it. Every time I've seen it, it was different. At one point, it couldn't speak. Now it speaks in a mix of it's victims' voices. Real freaky shit." Keira answered. "All in all, I wouldn't recommend fighting it. Running from it is a better option, especially for you." She glanced at the two. "You know there's only one person left now."

Kouta and Lucy nodded in agreement. "Alex Mercer."

Keira grinned. "You might want to make yourselves comfortable. This gonna take a…" She was cut off as an explosion was heard and the small room shook along with the building. "The fuck?" Keira thought out loud, hurriedly opening the small blast door. As she ran out, Kouta and Lucy followed. They saw her unsheathe one of her swords from a nearby table and run to the door to the shooting range. Before the blast door opened, however, they saw sparks of red and blue electricity flying past the small window. When they entered the shooting range, no more shots rang through the hall and no explosions could be heard. Instead they were greeted with a rather shocking sight.

Meg, the girl who always travelled with Jo, was on her knees, gasping for air and rubbing her throat while an older woman, who Kouta recognised as Sei, was kneeling next to her. Dwayne was standing in the middle of the shooting range, electricity still cackling in his hands, as he turned to Meg. "What da fuck!? Don' you ever learn!?" He couldn't continue as, from the other side of the shooting range, the rubble caused by the earlier explosion was tossed aside, and John shot forward so fast that he seemed to appear in front of Dwayne out of nowhere. Before he could register, however, John attacked, driving his fist into Dwayne's gut hard enough to make him recoil. He quickly followed up with a roundhouse kick, connecting to Dwayne's jaw, and a leg sweep as he came around again. as he rose, he caught Dwayne, now falling, with an uppercut into his back, sending him flying upwards. Kouta's eyes widened in horror as John stood still for a moment. His canines had grown into long fangs, his muscles had started to bulge more since he saw him earlier, and his nails extended into long claws. This made John even fiercer in Kouta's opinion.

Dwayne spun in mid air to land on one of his knees, as he gasped for breath. As he stood up, the electricity started cackling in his hands again. He turned to Meg and Sei. "Make yo'self scarce." He said, blood trickling from the corner of mouth. "Go get the Cap'n. He can handle this." Meg and Sei wasted no time in running towards the door, but a large combat knife whizzed past their heads and pierced the controls of the door, locking it down. "They aren't going anywhere." John growled with a murderous gleam in his eyes. Keira immediately readied her blade and got into a stance. "You too?" he growled at her, eyeing her suspiciously. "All the better."

"Stay outta dis, Keira!" Dwayne called at her. "Dis is my fight!" he said loudly as he swung his hand in John's direction, launching a large bolt of red electricity at him. John took his chance and attacked, moving to the side and forwards to Dwayne so fast it looked as though he disappeared and reappeared. "Can't catch me with the same trick twice." He grinned as he delivered another punch to Dwayne's ribs, bringing his leg around to kick him on the back. Dwayne spun around and caught his leg, to which John reacted by jumping to attack with a spinning kick. It struck Dwayne on the side of his head, making him let go of John's leg and recoil in pain.

As John landed, he focused a flurry of punches on Dwayne's stomach, and followed up by kicking Dwayne right under his chest with his knee. He used Dwayne's belt to launch himself upwards and kick him under the chin with his other knee, sending Dwayne flying backwards.

Kouta ran over to Sei and Meg, followed closely by Lucy and Keira. "What happened?" He asked hysterically.

"I don't know, I got here a bit too late!" Sei said, examining the wounds John's nails left on Meg's neck. The latter was crying softly. "Dammit, Meg." She sighed. "Why can't you leave him alone?" Meg struggled to speak at first. "I only wanted to know why he hates Jo so much…" she gasped.

"And ten to one ended up offending him in the process." Sei said. "Didn't you?" Meg remained silent at this. "Dammit, Meg… You were warned not to–" She was cut off as Dwayne's body hit a wooden table behind them, breaking it neatly into two pieces. "You shouldn't have interfered." The heard John growl lowly. Dwayne was panting as he stood up, some of the electricity in his hands fading.

"This ain't right, homie." Dwayne tried to get through to John.

"I don't care!" John barked as he launched himself forward and hit Dwayne in the face with his elbow. "You should have stayed out of it!" he yelled as he delivered a backhand to the side of Dwayne's head, sending him flying into the steel wall at such a speed that it actually dented.

"Dwayne!" The group yelled, to no avail. Dwayne laid motionless on the floor, the blue and red in his veins disappearing and the electricity in his hands vanishing. John grunted as he stood upright. Kouta paled as he looked over to where they stood with Meg, and he nearly shit himself when he started walking towards them. "What do we do!?" He asked them in a hysterical whisper.

"You don't do anything." Keira told him, readying her blade again. "I'll keep him away from you. Sei, take them to the safe room."

"Very noble of you." John growled falsely. "Unfortunately," he said as he used his claws to slash at the door control to the weapons room. "They are not going to leave this room. Not 'till I'm done with them." They watched with dulling hope as the door locked down. He walked closer to them, and Keira surprisingly stood her ground. "Too bad." John growled, as he lashed out with his claws at her. Just before impact, however, Keira disappeared and reappeared behind him, in mid air. "What the –" He was cut off as her boot made impact with his face, making him stagger to the side. Without a moment's hesitation, Keira landed and kicked him the stomach in what appeared to be a kickboxing move. After that she followed up with two punches to the exact same area she kicked, before seemingly gliding backwards to make some distance between them. Kouta and Lucy only stared on, amazed at what they were seeing.

"Ugh… Bitch…" John growled, as he gripped his stomach, blood dripping from a wound Keira's combat boots opened on his face. Keira wordlessly got into another stance, a murderous gleam similar to John's shining in her eyes. "This time my attacks will be serious." She said as she readied her katana again, the silver blade gleaming in the lights.

"That so…" John replied with an evil grin. In a flash he appeared at the blast door, pulling his combat knife from the controls. "Then BRING IT!!!" He yelled as he launched himself towards Keira, who in turn took up a defensive stance. As John lunged at her, she parried his blade and spun to counter with a swipe of her own sword, barely missing him after he jumped backwards. She continued a furious flurry of swipes, slashes and lunges, all directed towards John, who seemed to have some trouble blocking. The clangs coming from the colliding blades seemed to start imitating a type of machinegun, as sparks flew each time the two blades made impact. With a final clang, John's blade flied upwards and Keira spun around, aiming to hit him with an underhand swing.

"Gah!" John growled as he staggered backwards after Keira's katana connected to his chest, a long, red stripe now visible on his torso, bleeding considerably. Keira once again jump backwards to make more distance. "Ugh…" John fell down to his knees, gasping for breath, blood now rhythmically falling towards the floor in a variety of droplet sizes. He slumped forward, panting heavily. Keira slowly turned away and walked towards Lucy, Kouta, Sei and Meg, who were still amazed at her speed and reflexes. "You… You…" Kouta stuttered.

"You were awesome!" Meg choked out, still a bit blue in the face.

"H-how did you do that?" Kouta stuttered.

"Nineteen years of training does that to you." Keira replied with a smile. "But be warned, if you ever cause something like this again, I'll leave him to tear you apart." Meg gulped.

"Good on ya, girl." Dwayne said with a grunt as he stood up, trembling. Keira quickly rushed over to him, followed by the rest. "Guess I shoulda let you fight, huh?"

"You need to get to the hospital." Keira said.

"We'll take him." Meg piped up, making Sei look at her strangely. "What? He did save us." Sei just smiled and shook her head.

"You two sure?" Keira asked.

"Sure! It's the least we can do." Meg said happily as she slung one of his arms over her shoulders. Sei did the same with his other arm. "Now we just need to get those doors open…" Sei stated.

"I got dat." Dwayne said weakly as he raised his left arm. A jolt of electricity fired at the busted control panel, and the door opened as if by magic.

"I'll inform Dana about what happened. Maybe she'll pop in later." Keira said as the trio went through the door.

"Woman, do you _want_ me dead?" Dwayne exclaimed with a broad, although shaky smile. As he turned down the side of the building, Kouta heard him tell Meg and Sei. "Dere ain't no thing on Earth scarier than wakin' up to dat chick…" Lucy heard this too, as she grinned in a weird way. Kouta chuckled. They turned to Keira, who was now sitting hunched next to John's slumped form, the tip of her sword chipping the surface as he held it upside down.

"What happened to you, John?" She asked, almost sympathetically. "You used to be one of the good guys."

"Huh… and what am I now?" He asked as he shakily stood up, gripping the wound on his chest. "A criminal?"

"You sure would be if you weren't here, with Blackwatch." Keira sharply retorted. "You realise Captain Cross is going to shit on you for this?" John quickly glanced down at his claws, the tips stained by small amounts of blood from Meg's neck. He chuckled. "It was worth it." He said, limping towards the exit. Keira just shook her head as Kouta and Lucy stood by her side.

"It broke the men who served with him, to see such a good man turn into _that_." They way she had said 'that' made Kouta shudder. Was that disgust he heard? "Wow…" They heard Lucy say. "Does everyone in Alex's inner circle fight like that?"

"Yup. Everyone except Dwayne. He's a bit too…uh… big-boned to move so fast." She said, wiping the blood off her sword. "I need to report this to the Captain. You two coming along?" She asked. "We can continue afterwards. We were discussing Alex, after all, and there's a _lot_ you can find out about him."

-------------------------------_**THE CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS-----------------**_-----------------

"Does John always give you so much trouble?" Alicia asked innocently as she sat next to Cross behind his desk.

"Since three years ago." Cross said with an irritated expression. "Is Dwayne okay?"

"I dunno, sir." Keira replied. "I was thinking of informing Dana as well. She could check up on him. He got banged up pretty badly. Especially since John beat him up. Jo is gonna blow when she sees Meg's scars." Lucy and Kouta stood behind her, keeping quiet and trying not to interfere in this matter. After all, they didn't have a clue as to why John exploded like that. "You do realise that, sir?" Keira started again.

"All for the better." Cross replied. "Their fight is tomorrow, and Alex is coming back tonight. If they're both enraged, the fight might not last very long, and we take minimal damage."

"Or," Keira's twisted smile returned. "The fight could drag on for quite a while and smash up a sector. With lots of blood and guts. And deaths. That would be awesome." Alicia and Kouta paled. Lucy only smirked. Cross' left eye twitched.

"How did you turn out so demented?" He asked.

"That's actually quite an interesting story." Keira bit back with a grin. "Started at the labs, then the experiments, the voices, travelling with Alex…"

"It was a rhetorical question!" Cross barked. Then he sighed. "Report this to Dana so she can tell Alex. I'll go speak to John later… Just get out of here…"

"As you wish…" Keira said, quickly jumping up. When she reached the door, she looked back. "You shouldn't frown so much, sir. It makes your bald spot show…" She quickly ran out when something flew past Kouta head into the wall outside the office. Keira's maniacal laughter could be heard through the whole complex. Both Kouta and Lucy stifled laughs and fled before the Captain decided to chuck things at them too. "They don't pay you enough for this job, do they?" Alicia asked softly.

"Not nearly enough." Cross replied, sinking back into his seat with a frown.

* * *

"Hahaha!" Keira laughed as Lucy and Kouta caught up to her. "You can't argue, that was awesome…"

"I don't know where you get your guts…" Kouta said with a slight grin. "Aren't you scared of him?"

"Nope." Keira said with a cocky smile. "Never have been. Always manage to piss him off, somehow…" She said with mock innocence.

"Do you get off on agitating him?" Lucy asked blankly.

"I get off on agitating everyone. Except Jo. But that's because she's a gunslinging lesbian with a black hole where her heart should be. Hah, speak of the devil." She exclaimed as Jo and Meg walked past her.

"Hey Keira!" Meg chimed loudly.

"Sup, lezzie." Keira said mockingly.

"Hey there Kouta." Meg greeted him. Then she turned to Lucy. "You must be Lucy. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Lucy said unconvincingly. Kouta turned to the silver-haired girl accompanying Meg.

"You must be Jo." He said with a smile. "We've heard a lot about you."

"No doubt…" Jo responded with an uncaring tone, making Kouta pause awkwardly.

"_Black Hole!"_ Keira mouthed to them from behind the duo, before standing next to Jo. "Jeez, you're so depressing. Lighten up!" She said, slapping her cheeks lightly, making Jo stare at her murderously. "Oho, am I pissing you off?" Keira asked mockingly. Meg nearly freaked.

"Keira, what are you doing!?" She whispered hysterically. "Do you want to make her angry?"

"Hmmm… No." Keira replied indifferently. "I just wanna see you get frustrated and flustered." She finished. "No offence meant, dude." She told Jo, earning another murderous look from her red eyes. Keira quickly turned to Kouta and Lucy. "Uhm, yeah, this is gonna take a while. Could I leave you two with them?" She pointed at Meg and Jo. "At least they won't shock you any further. At least, I hope not…" She said, suspiciously glaring at Meg.

"W-What?!?" She asked with a child-like pout.

"Nothing, nothing…" Keira said, turning back to Kouta. "I'll come looking for you two around five. Shouldn't be too hard to track that one." She pointed a thumb at Meg, who's left eye twitched twice. "Well, see ya then." She turned and seemingly vanished, reappearing on a balcony two storeys above them, and started sprinting in the direction of the comms tower.

"Weird…" Meg broke the silence. "I wanna do that too…" She turned to the duo. "Hey, there's a great spot near the edge of this island. It's heavenly there at noon. Wanna go? We're heading there now." Kouta quickly shook his head as Keira's voice and comments forced a rather rude image into his mind… Then he turned to Lucy. "Well, how about it?"

"Sure." She replied in a low voice.

"Great!" Meg chimed in an overenthusiastic voice. "Let's go!"

The trip to this specific 'heavenly' spot was filled with random conversation between the four, mostly from Meg and Kouta. Jo and Lucy only responded in short, flat answers. Kouta and Lucy found out about Meg and Jo and the rest of rest of their gang, what they did for a living, and how they met the good doctor, Alex Mercer.

"Whoa, that's quite a story." Meg said, rubbing her chin in thought. "These soldiers are good at what they do."

"They are." Jo said, her voice finally showing some signs of life. "I couldn't hit one of them, and I'm quite accurate. I ended up meeting the business end of their rifles. Got shot about sixteen times."

"I must say, you're an astonishing person." Kouta said. "Two days ago you were in high care. Now you're walking around like nothing happened. It's amazing."

"That's Jo!" Meg smiled. "Nothing ever slows her down."

"I wouldn't be here if Alex wasn't escorting that convoy two and a half years ago. Those soldiers would've lined us up against the wall and killed us if he didn't interfere." Jo said darkly. "We all freaked out when we saw what he really was six months later."

"I got such a fright I hid in our apartment for two weeks." Meg said with a blush.

"How did you find out?" Lucy asked. "About what he is?"

"We were walking around Kamakura with him and Dana on one of his errands." Jo answered. "We got ambushed, Dana got shot and Alex decided to mutilate the attackers. Not a very pretty sight when he was done. But he gives us jobs, and he pays, so we keep in contact with him."

"Ah, we're here!" Meg said happily. They were at a small cliff overlooking the sea to the east of the island, waves slamming against the bottom, lightly spraying anyone near the edge. Being that it was on Blackwatch's island base, it also had a few steel barriers around it. "This is wonderful." She said as she leaned on one of the steel barriers. "One of my favourite places on the island."

Kouta observed the sea from where he stood. He started feeling relaxed as he watched it glisten in the sun's rays. "I see why you like it here." He said in a daze. "It's really relaxing."

"And it's cool here." Lucy said with a hint of emotion in her voice. "I like the breeze."

"That's what makes it so perfect. Ah," she said, scratching one of the marks on her neck.

"Are you okay after what happened earlier?" Kouta asked, making Jo turn her attention to Meg's neck.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Uh…" Meg stuttered her next words at such a speed nobody could interpret them.

"Was it John?" Jo asked dejectedly. Meg only nodded with a shameful expression on her face.

"Why did he explode like that?" Kouta asked. "I mean, I thought he and Dwayne were friends."

"No, uh…It's my f…"

"It's because of me." Jo cut her off. "John hates me, and everyone else who I know personally." She leaned back on one of the barriers. "I made a mistake, about three years ago. And he won't forget it easily." Her voice sounded sincere, but her face showed nothing of the sort. "I don't like spending much time on this island. I heard him tell one of his comrades he lives by the saying, 'An eye for an eye'."

"We heard what you did to him. From Seager." Kouta said sympathetically. "He told us it was an accident."

"He doesn't think so." Jo said. "I took someone he cared for from him. If he really lives by that saying, he can take something, or someone, from me too." She looked down. "I guess that scares me. I've seen him fight before. I know what he really is."

"But your fight is coming up tomorrow." Lucy said. "Isn't what happened going to stay in the past after that?"

"I'm not scared of him." Jo said, looking up. "I'm scared of what he can do. And how he lives his life. Once, I saw him kill another soldier who took a liking to me and Meg. Became a close friend. Then he decided to go talk to John after seeing how he treated us."

"Alex couldn't save him." Meg said sadly. "Nobody could. John mutilated him."

"That's why I asked Alex to stop you and the rest from interfering tomorrow." Jo said sternly. "He might just attack you if you do."

"But what about what happens when your tattoo starts showing?" Kouta asked worriedly.

"If it appears, and I do something irrational, it's my loss." Jo said, making Meg wince.

"You can't speak like that!" Meg exclaimed, taking a seat next to Jo. "You're speaking as if you've already lost." She took hold of Jo's arm. "You can still beat him!"

"We'll even be rooting for you." Kouta said, with Lucy nodding in agreement. The four of them walked to the edge of the small cliff, and spent a few minutes observing the sight before them. The afternoon sun really did light up the ocean, making it glisten and glitter, soothing soul and mind alike. "I must say," Lucy broke the silence with a low voice. "We did make some startling discoveries here."

"That goes for both of us." Jo said. "I found out I'm going to die in three months time. Maybe less." Meg went hysterical.

"Don't say 'maybe less' like you mean it as an afterthought, it scares me!" She pouted. Kouta and Lucy chuckled.

"I found out my whole life was a lie." Lucy said, looking down dejectedly. "I was supposed to end humanity. I believed that so much that I started killing people because I wanted to."

"How did you kill?" Jo asked.

"Like this." Lucy replied, setting one of her vectors down on Jo's shoulder, then quickly slicing through one of the barriers, making Meg jump. Jo's eyes widened a bit.

"GenTek?" She asked.

"Yes." Lucy answered lowly. "They did that to me."

"I'm not surprised." Jo said with her trademark emotionless voice. "I'm supposedly created by them." She closed her eyes for a bit, before a voice came from behind them, calling her name. She quickly turned around, as did the rest, and saw a soldier standing on one of the balconies. "Dr. Mercer came back earlier than expected. He wants to see you at landing bay 5. You should get ready for another mission. A serious one at that." The soldier quickly went back into the building, and met up with the group as they passed the entrance. "What kind of mission is this?" She asked.

"Dr. Mercer wasn't specific. He told me to inform you to get your weapons ready, and to escort anyone accompanying you to bay 5 immediately."

"But…But…" Meg started to panic. "Do we need to go on this mission too?"

"We're not sure. He requested Dwayne, Cross, Keira and Dana there too, as well as Mariko and Alicia, if they wanted to come. He sounded serious. He gave me direct orders to inform you to visit the armoury immediately."

"What about them?" Jo asked, motioning towards Lucy, Kouta and Meg.

"I'll escort them to Bay 5. You should get going now." The soldier replied. With a grunt, Jo reluctantly turned away from the group, while Meg pouted. "What is so important?" She huffed.

"Dr. Mercer's orders, ma'am." The soldier replied. "If you'll all follow me."

* * *

When Jo finally reached Landing Bay 5, she grimaced. John Steele stood next to Alex, seemingly ready for the mission, along with other people such as Dwayne, who had bandages around his waist, chest and left arm, Keira, Dana, Captain Cross, with the young Genocide Angel Alicia by his side. Meg, Sei and Amy were also there, as well as Kouta, Lucy and surprisingly, Yuka. John frowned when he saw Jo approaching.

"Do I need to go on _another_ mission with her as my partner, Lex?" John growled.

"No." Alex replied rather calmly. He turned to the small audience and spoke. "I've called you all here because of a certain arrangement I made between Jo and John. I organised a fight between the two to settle the feud between them, However," he paused. "I was informed of a misunderstanding in the armoury this morning because of this feud, and two of our commandos were seriously injured."

The small audience started to buzz. "What happened?" Yuka whispered to Kouta.

"John and Dwayne fought because of what Jo did. Then Keira interfered." Kouta replied, making a worried look appear on Yuka's face.

"I've called you all here for different reasons. Some of you are personal friends with these two, others are in a relatively high rank. Some may even be a bit too caring. I came back earlier to inform you that I'm rescheduling the fight."

"When do we start?" John eagerly asked, cracking his knuckles.

"As soon as the highest light on the comms tower illuminates." Alex said, pointing towards the gigantic tower. "As for you all," he turned to the small crowd. "This fight _will_ get messy. I warn you that the results may be catastrophic should someone try to interfere. So for your own good, stay out of it." Alex said sternly. "This may sound cold hearted of me, but it's the only way to prevent any future losses. Some of you may find it hard to watch this, so I advise you leave now if you think you can't handle it." He turned to Jo and John.

"What happens in this fight is up to you two. I don't care if you fight to the death or not, I only care that this rivalry between you stops. I want you two to swear now that, no matter what the outcome of this fight, this rivalry is _over_. I don't want any more competitiveness, snappy comments or insults between you two, and I _certainly_ don't want your aggression affecting any more of this organisation's soldiers. Understood?" Jo nodded. "Sir." John nodded as well.

"Good." Alex said. "Now I'm going to take these… spectators to a safe distance to watch you two settle this. I've had this whole part of the facility evacuated for your sake, but be warned: There are snipers stationed on the vantage points. If either of you attempt to start this fight before the light goes on, you'll be dead. Is that clear?"

"…yes…" Jo said in a low voice.

"Yes, sir." John growled.

"Now I'm going to give you a while to speak to your friends. In five minutes, I'm leading them away. Two minutes after that the light goes on." Alex turned away from the group and stood next to Dana, speaking to her softly so the rest couldn't hear. She had a very worried look on her face.

"You ready for dis, homie?" Dwayne asked John as he slapped him on the back. "Three years, now you got ya chance." John only looked at him. "'Bout da armoury, relax man. I know you by now." John only grunted.

"So, you're finally gonna kick her face in?" Keira piped up form John other side. "Just do it in _more_ than half an hour, hear? Then I get fifty bucks!" She grinned evilly. Meg, Sei and Amy walked over to Jo, followed by Kouta and Lucy.

"Do your best, okay?" Sei said seriously as she put a hand on Jo's shoulder. "Stay calm, control your temper and you'll be fine."

"That advice in unnecessary!" Meg said happily. "Jo's gonna own this fight!"

"Yeah!" Amy cheered. "She can beat that freak any day!"

Sei and Jo turned to Kouta and Lucy. "Well," he said with a smile. "We did say we'd be rooting for you, didn't we?" Jo only stared at them, while Sei smiled.

"Aah, you guys are awesome!" Meg cried, taking Kouta and Lucy into a hug from behind. "This place needs more people like you…"

"Quite a crowd, aren't they?" Cross asked Alex as he and Alicia stood next to him and Dana. "You two aren't picking a side?"

"No." Alex said. "They've got enough support as it is."

"But I'm still nervous." Dana said, crossing her arms. "What if one of them dies? Both of them have friends here, Alex. The repercussions…"

"Are some we'll just have to bear." Alex finished her sentence, before turning to Alicia. "What about you? Who's side are you on?"

"Neither." Alicia said with a bored expression. "I've had enough fighting to last me a lifetime". After a while Alex moved towards the two small crowds. "It's time to go."

"Good luck!" Kouta said to Jo.

"Haul ass, homie." Dwayne said as he gave John a thumbs-up.

The crowds quickly dispersed, leaving only Jo and John standing on the large helipad, while the rest followed Alex to a safe distance to observe the fight. Meg was loudly telling Sei and Amy how easily Jo would beat John, Dwayne and Keira were eagerly betting each other who would win, or hold out the longest. But through all the noise, one man remained silent. One man remained entirely focused. _One more minute, _Alex thought. _Then it's make or break. Better hope for the best… I know everyone else is._

* * *

A/N: And another cliffhanger! Sorry, but including John and Jo's fight scene in this chapter would make it too long. I mean, damn… Almost 23 000 words… I gotta tone down…

Let me know what you guys think of this filler chapter. The next one will probably be up in about two days. And it'll be much shorter. In the meantime, why don't you try guessing what game/movie/anime John's power comes from? And no, it's not The Hulk!

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review! It's food for thought!

Cheers!

--Slipkn0T--


	6. 6 Rivalries, Friendships, Secrets revea

A/N: Here comes another chapter, as quickly as promised. This could probably be seen as another filler Chapter, dealing with Jo and John's rivalry in the form of (what I hope to be) an epic fight, as well as a few more (hopefully shocking) revelations. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 6 – Rivalries, Friendships And A Secret Revealed

"Bit more than a minute." John grinned as he took a small SMG from his belt. This wasn't very different from a mission to him. He still had his bow, quiver and his blade. He only had one objective. _But this one's personal,_ he thought.

Jo drew her pistols from their holsters. "I've told you before, I'm sorry for wha…"

"And I've told you before to save it." John cut her off. "Your apologies won't bring her back." He said as he loaded his gun. "That's behind me now. I stopped mourning and crying three years ago. She's dead now. I'm only focusing on one thing, and that's to make you suffer as much as I did."

"Then… why didn't you kill Meg? Or Sei, or Amy?" Jo asked.

"Attack them? What did they ever do to me?" John asked indifferently.

"You said you live by 'an eye for an eye'." Jo stated softly.

"True… But I also have standards." John growled. "That's where we differ." He quickly glanced up at the comms tower. "About eleven seconds to go." He grinned. "Let's make this count."

* * *

10…

_I've waited three years for this…_

9…

_Now I finally get my chance._

8…

_Ironic that Alex fooled us, though._

7…

_Should've seen it coming. But this is my fight now. Now…_

6…

_No-one else matters…_

* * *

5…

_I've told him before, I'm sorry…_

4…

_He won't believe me. I know what I did was wrong._

3…

_But I see now, words can't convince him._

2…

_But there's hope. This fight could end it. Even if it ends us both_…

Jo concentrated solely on her opponent. She saw his hand tighten around the hand of his gun, and his feet force into the concrete.

1…

She got ready to fire at the first possible moments, her fingers twitching on the triggers. John turned a bit, so his shoulder faced her. _What's this?_

0…

The minute the red light flared. John disappeared, his outline becoming fuzzy before his form vanished. "What the…" Jo's sentence was cut short as she heard a click behind her and, acting on instinct, dived sideways just as John gun exploded into a rain of automatic fire. Making good use of her agility, Jo kept rolling and flipping before launching herself into the air as she exited a backflip, aiming both guns at John, sitting atop one of the choppers. She fired a few times, but missed because of her constant movement. After many near misses, a click came from John small rifle, signalling an empty cartridge. "Shit!" He growled.

Jo smirked. She immediately took her chance and aimed at him, emptying the magazines in her guns. However, no bullets hit their mark, as John's form dulled again and disappeared.

* * *

Alex grinned as he turned to Keira. "You little devil…"

"What can I say?" Keira said with a cocky smile. "Your skills are loved. You two taught me how, now I'll teach them… Especially since they're genetically able. Whatever that means…" She shrugged.

"If he uses dat dere technique to get close to her…" Dwayne drew his finger over his throat. "Head goes flyin'." Meg whimpered.

"Yo." A soldier dropped down from the chimney of the factory roof they were sitting on. "Sup, Seager?" Dwayne asked as he greeted his friend.

"Hey there!" Yuka exclaimed, with Kouta and Lucy all following suit with a wave.

"Hey." He answered, then turned back to Dwayne. "A lot, if you see this." He handed Dwayne a set of binoculars. "Check his quiver."

"Okaaay…" Dwayne obliged as he glued the binocs to his eyes. After a while, he shook his head. "Da fuck is that man doin' with wooden arrows? I thought he only used steel arrows."

Seager said nothing. He only fumbled in one of his pockets, before pulling a small, seemingly empty vial out. "Does this make sense?" He asked, his smile visible beneath the cloth. Alex observed the vial from afar, and smirked. Dwayne took the small vial. "Dat sneaky little motherf…"

* * *

Jo heard a light tap on the tarmac behind her, and ducked just in time to see John's blade passing over her head. She quickly spun around to aim at his head, but he caught her arm, spun around her and hit her in the back with his elbow. As she stumbled forward from the blow, she turned to aim, but John spun again, bringing his leg around to deliver a roundhouse kick to her jaw. Jo jumped back and aimed, but he dulled and disappeared once again. This time, however, he did not reappear.

She didn't falter, keeping her gun up, aiming as she looked around. He had to be somewhere…

_**THWACK!**_

"Gah!" She dropped her guns and fell down on one knee as a wooden arrow hit her in the shoulder. _Wood?! _She thought, but was cut off as John appeared in front of her, preparing to attack. _Oh sh-_ His fist struck her under the chin, propelling her upwards. He grinned darkly, before pulling his arm back and launching himself towards her falling form, ready to strike again.

Jo saw him coming, and flipped in mid-air so his fist flew past the left side of her face. When she landed, she jumped upwards and brought her right leg up, her knee connecting with his ribcage, and without giving him chance to react, brought her other leg around, aiming for the side of his face.

"Not today, bitch!" John barked as he caught her by the leg and swung her over his head, bringing her down on the concrete so hard she bounced back up, a roundhouse kick connecting directly with her face as she tried to flip backwards, sending her sliding over the concrete. While she slid, John readied his bow and drew an arrow from his quiver, taking aim. Jo pushed herself up from the concrete and aimed the gun she had left, but before she could react –

_**THWACK!**_

She screamed as another arrow hit her in her side, followed by another in her thigh and lastly her knee. Her gun dropped from her hand as she swayed from the pain. _This is it! _John thought as he rushed at her, moving so fast it seemed he appeared from nowhere, delivering a roundhouse kick to her stomach, then a backhand to her face. He aimed a punch at her face as she reeled backwards, striking her right eye. He then attacked with another uppercut, hitting her in the stomach, and another roundhouse, sending her flying into one of the helicopters, denting it.

He chuckled, a twisted smile crossing his lips as he drew his knife from his belt. "You're useless at close range." He slowly stalked over to where Jo was laying, struggling to get up, blood trickling from the side of her mouth. "What a disappointment." He said dryly as he stepped on her injured knee. "This isn't like last time. Your heart isn't in this fight." Jo just continued to shiver in pain. John frowned, and kicked her in the stomach, making her slide backwards a bit more. "Maybe I should drop my standards. Maybe I should go after your little girlfriend." Jo's eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. He grinned again. "Struck a nerve?" He mocked her. "I sure hope so. I'll bet she puts up more of a fight than you do." He smiled even wider when he saw her get up. _Come on,_ he thought. _Do your worst. I didn't wait three years for nothing…_

* * *

Seager quickly took a small box of pills and handed them to Yuka. "Use these if the need arises."

"What are these?" She asked.

"Weak sedatives. You're gonna need 'em if this goes as Alex foresees."

* * *

Jo stood upright again, quickly pulling the arrows from her body as if she didn't feel pain at all. "That's better." John grinned. "Gonna stop me from hurting your friend?" He laughed when he got the reaction he desired. Jo's face, particularly her eyes, were filled with anger. "That's it!" He said loudly. "Look at me the way I looked at you for three years!"

"You…" Her voice was shaking with anger. "…won't touch her!" She launched herself at John, aiming a kick at his ribs. He caught her leg easily, to which she reacted by spinning around, hitting his face with the heel of her other leg. He staggered backwards, as she aimed another kick at his chest. He quickly ducked, and countered with a leg sweep, knocking Jo's legs out from under her. She landed on her back, but quickly flipped backwards and landed on her feet, just as another one of John's roundhouse kicks caught her flat in the face. As he brought his fist around for a backhand, Jo noticed his blade a bit too late. She gritted her teeth as a long cut appeared on her cheek. John continued his chain of attacks, slashing and kicking to his heart's content. A wound on her ribs, two kicks to her face, and he laughed all the way. Any attempt to attack him was stopped easily. She tried again to punch him in the face, but he caught her hand and delivered three quick, brutal punches to her ribs. When she gripped her side in pain, John took his chance and pulled her towards him, bringing his knee up and into her back, before hitting her in the stomach with his palm, making her collapse.

Kouta and Lucy had taken to helping Sei and Amy calm Meg down. Seeing Jo get kicked around so much was taking its toll on her, as she was on the brink of tears.

"Sir, why is this happening?" Cross asked Alex. "She's normally much more combat effective than this."

"There's nothing different to her fighting style, or combat effectiveness. It's John's style of fighting that's shaking her up."

"What do you mean?" Sei asked from Meg's side.

"I mean, look at how he moves. He used the element of surprise since the beginning of this fight, and that made her alert. He attacked from random directions, and now that she's paying attention to every direction, he's attacking from the most obvious one, which is also now the one she least expects. Not only that, he's also verbally assaulting her. Throwing her weaknesses in her face."

"So what, he's some kind of psychological genius?" Keira quipped.

"You could say that. For now." Alex replied cryptically.

The fight was nearing its climax. Jo was getting exhausted, and John was making good use of his openings. Several deep gashes decorated her body, and she was black and blue all over. John was laughing maniacally as he continued to lay attack after attack on her. _The effects should be showing now…_ He thought. _Don't tell me she can take that too!_

Jo attempted another attack, trying to copy John's roundhouse kick. But he caught her leg again, this time retaliating by lifting his foot and bring it down on the side of her other leg, on the spot where the upper- and lower legs meet. A loud snap could be heard, and Jo collapsed again with a scream. With a frown, John walked over to her and grabbed her by the collar, hoisting her off the floor, as he pulled his hand back, his blade aimed right at her throat. Just as he wanted to swing his fist, he remembered…

"_John, why do you do this?" A woman with long, black hair asked softly. "Don't you think you've helped Alex enough? Can't you try to stop the killing? For me?"_

"_I know what you are, and it doesn't matter to me! This isn't you, John…"_

"_Thank you, Johnny… I knew you could stop it… I knew you'd stop the killing…"_

"Grrrr…" John shook his head as he swung his blade around and struck her under the chin with its hilt, propelling her from his hands. _NO!_ He inwardly cursed. _This is not happening! Not after all these years!_ He shook his head again, and turned back to Jo, who was now shakily standing up. He quickly dashed towards her, driving his knee into her stomach, following up with another palm to her stomach, shoving her straight into another chopper. But before she could fall again, something caught her. Caught her by the collar again, and shoved her back into the choppers side. She looked up and saw John, a vicious expression on his face, before she saw the blade coming at her face. Her eyes widened, a horrified expression on her face, before she closed her eyes tightly, waiting…

_**CLANG!!!**_

Her eyes shot open when she heard the blade pierce steel, and looked to her side. Sure enough, the blade was protruding from the chopper, with John panting lightly. "You don't deserve death…" He spat. She could hear disgust in his voice. "Not if you're going to be this pathetic." He let go of her collar, letting her fall to the ground. "This fight… This rivalry… It's over. I've won. Now crawl back to your girlfriend. Pray she isn't as disappointed as I am." He turned and walked away.

* * *

"Atta boy, Johnny!" Keira applauded the commando as he walked away from the fallen angel. "Seems he's a real man after all."

"Thas my homie, right dere!" Dwayne beamed. Meg quickly exhaled, relief evident on her face, as Kouta, Lucy, Sei and Amy all exhaled from the exhausting job of keeping Meg calm. Keira quickly turned to Dwayne. "I believe you owe me, dear sir." She said with a cocky smile.

"See me end o' da month." Dwayne said with an equally cocky grin.

"I could extort you, ya know…" Keira said, cracking her knuckles.

"You're all celebrating too early." Alex's cold voice halted their party immediately. "This fight isn't over yet."

"Sir? What do you…" Captain Cross' question was cut short when a gunshot came from the Landing Bay, making everyone except Alex and Seager jump. They looked down just in time to see John fall forward, with Jo standing not far behind him, seemingly oblivious to her pain, with a murderous look in her eyes, a purple tattoo in the form of a wing glowing brightly on her left arm.

"She did it again…" Alex mused. "Let's see her survive now." He saw Meg jump up from her seat, and he slammed his fist into the roof, causing several spikes to erupt from it around Meg, Sei and Amy, encircling them like a kind of cage. Yuka clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Alex! What are you doing!?" Meg yelled. "You know what happens now! He'll kill her!!" She started crying as she tugged at the spikes.

"Meg, what's going on!?" Sei asked hysterically. "He's down! He can't…"

"You don't know what he can do!" Meg said, falling to her knees, sobbing. "I…I've seen it…"

"Seen what?" Kouta asked. "What's she crying about?"

"You're going to see why he's called Beast, kiddo." Seager said, before turning to Yuka. A loud growl was heard from the Landing Bay. "You may wanna use those sedatives now..."

* * *

Jo's eyes widened again as John stood up, seemingly uninjured, his body heaving as he breathed. She shot him again, and again and again, but he simply would not fall over. He turned around and looked her dead in the eyes, making her eyes grow even wider.

His canines had extended into long fangs, and his nails were growing into claws. A loud, almost animalistic growl came from his mouth, and to her and everyone on the factory roof's amazement, his shirt tore at the back. His body started convulsing as he fell to his knees, as he seemed to grow in size. He shook as his body reached nearly twice the size of a normal man, growing more muscular by the minute.

"W-What's happening to him!?" Yuka asked loudly. "He's… he's changing!"

"Duh…" Keira said indifferently. "This is why he's called Beast."

"Told you you'd need light sedatives." Seager chuckled.

"Whos' gonna arrange da funeral?" Dwayne said earnestly. Meg's hysterical reply was cut short when a large explosion came from the landing bay. It looked like two choppers had collided.

"Wait…" Kouta said. "Those things weren't flying…"

They all looked back to the landing bay, and Kouta, together with Yuka, and Amy, nearly fainted when they saw what was standing across Jo. John Steele was now easily three times bigger than the silver-haired girl opposite him, short shards of bone protruding from his spine with plates of bone resembling solid rock covering his body. His former nails had now grown to cover the entire tips of his fingers, and each of his teeth now resembled his canines, long and razor sharp. This beast was truly gargantuan, and his red eyes glowed like fires in the late afternoon sun. Jo aimed at the colossal being without hesitation, and emptied her magazines in a few seconds. A low, raspy growl of a chuckle escaped from the monster as each bullet ricocheted from its bony armour.

"Oh no!" Meg cried. "This is bad! Alex, let me out!!" She started tugging at the spikes surrounding them, to no avail. "She's going to die!"

"It's her own fault." Alex replied coldly. "She should've taken the loss and left it at that. But she didn't. She did exactly as we expected by attacking him when his back was turned, just as she did three years ago."

"This is insane." Yuka shakily stated. "We knew John wasn't normal, but this…" She sat down as ran a hand through her hair. The group's attention moved back to the landing bay when the monstrous entity roared, a deafening release of three years' hatred, and stormed at the much smaller girl opposing him, flexing its claws as it picked up momentum, going faster with each passing second. With a powerful swipe it lashed out at Jo, shattering the concrete floor of the landing bay as she jumped up to avoid it. The beast was quick to follow up with another swipe, just barely missing as she flipped backwards in mid-air, her tattoo glowing bright purple in the shadows created by the helicopters landed on the bay. When she landed, she quickly aimed a shot at the monster's eye, making a rather big mistake.

The monster quickly threw one of its titanic fists at her, landing it flat on her stomach. The power from the attack blasted the young girl backwards into one of the helicopters, with such power and speed that she flew right through it, leaving a gaping hole in the helicopter's sides. With ease, the beast lifted the huge chopper above its head, and brought it down hard on the spot where Jo was laying, narrowly missing his target at she rolled out of the way. However, the shockwave created from the strike blasted her into another chopper's side, injuring her good leg on impact. The monster quickly turned its sights on Jo again, and with another animalistic roar, it heaved the now mutilated helicopter at her. Jo instinctively tried to roll out of the way, only to hear a loud _snap_ come from her good leg. Almost instantly after that, the chopper hit her directly, forcing her into one behind her.

"Jo!" Meg cried, tugging harder at the spikes than ever before. Kouta still stood there shaking as Sei and Amy tried to calm Meg down, Kouta doing the same to Yuka. With tremendous effort, Sei and Amy pulled Meg off the spikes. She fell to her knees, crying softly. A creaking sound could be heard from the two collided choppers, as the one the monster threw slowly shifted away from the other. The monster stopped and observed the scene almost curiously. When the choppers were a fair distance apart, Jo lumbered out from between them, blood dripping from both corners of her mouth, with numerous wounds decorating her body, her tattoo still glowing brightly. With a slight grunt, she stood upright again.

"She doesn't know when to stop, does she, Robert?" Alicia asked Cross as she tugged at his sleeve.

"Nope." He replied softly. "She never does. She only stops when she wins."

"Or dies. Or gets gutted like a fish, or left in a pool of blood, in this case." Keira said, rubbing her hands together with an evil grin, making Meg gasp. "This is gonna be awesome…"

Jo quickly readied her remaining pistol, the other laying crushed at her side. The monster growled lowly again. "_You've seen that doesn't work on me._" It growled at her, making the majority of the small audience atop the factory gasp. "_Give up while you still can!_" It spat. Jo quickly glanced at the ground between her and the titanic beast. One shot to its eye was all she needed, and the distance between them would just about allow it. She closed one eye, and aimed square at his chest.

_What the fuck…_ John thought. Then he saw the pistol shift upwards and to the left. _My eyes!_ He realized with a shock, and closed them milliseconds before a loud bang came from the gun, a bullet impacting with the bone over his eyelid shortly after the bang. _Bitch!_ He thought. _Take this!_

With all his might, he pulled his arms back and swung them over his head, striking the ground so hard the concrete between his legs split apart, and cracked into bits in a very wide radius. The resulting shockwave came with such force that even the parked helicopters were thrown into the air as the whole island shook and trembled. The shockwave hit Jo head on, hurling her backwards until she hit the wall around the bay with such force that the wall cracked neatly into eight equal pieces, loud cracks coming from her shoulders, arms and upper back.

The monster smiled as it watched Jo fall forward from the small crater in the wall, her tattoo disappearing as she hit the floor as a black liquid shot out of her mouth. _Finally,_ he thought. _It's taking effect…_

* * *

"What's that!?" Meg cried as she stuck an arm through her spiked prison to point at the black liquid spilling from Jo's mouth.

"It's an old trick of John's to dip his arrows in a mix of different venoms." Alex said. "The venom he used there was a mix of Viper and Cobra venom, as well as samples from a few venomous frogs. Quite lethal, I'm surprised she held out so long before giving in." He informed them, much to Meg's horror, who started screaming and tugging at the spikes again.

* * *

The giant beast slowly walked over to Jo's fallen form, easily picking her up with one hand like some small figurine, before slamming her into the ground again. And again, and again, and again, until the concrete was crushed enough to resemble dark sand. It then let her drop onto her back, before driving one of its massive feet into her chest, forcing her deeper into the ground. "_What's wrong_?" the monster growled mockingly. "_Your girlfriend not enough inspiration to win this fight?_" He removed his foot and started driving his fists into her, the ground around her cracking more with each strike. "_You're PATHETIC!"_ The beast roared as it threw the girl into another chopper, prompting an array of sparks to fly from it. It started pounding at the chopper, crumpling it into a ball before kicking it into the wall, making it explode on impact. The monster smiled when he saw the mutilated girl climb out of the wreckage. "_You can survive even that…_" He slowly walked over her, laughing at her attempts to get up as more black liquid spilled from her mouth. "_This is the most fun I've had in a long time…"_ The monster growled. "_Not only can I make you suffer, your girlfriend is slowly dying inside with every hit you take…"_ It delivered a massive kick to her face, driving her into yet another landed helicopter. "_Maybe she'll get a heart attack while watching… Wouldn't that be ironic, with your little 'malfunction'?"_ It slowly picked her up in one of its enormous hands, and squeezed until numerous cracks came from her body, loud enough for the people on the factory roof to hear.

* * *

Alicia gasped and looked away. Keira was cheering for John all the way, Dwayne and Seager by her side. Kouta and Lucy had stopped paying attention to the fight long ago. They were helping Sei and Amy, both lightly crying, comfort Meg, who was oddly just sitting there, pale as death. Alex, Cross and Dana were in a deep, yet soft conversation.

"Meg's going to lose it if this continues…" Dana said worriedly. "Shouldn't we do something?"

"Will you escort her to the medical bay?" Alex asked, still on one knee with his hand driven into the factory roof.

"Of course." Dana said, heaving a sigh of relief. In a flash, the spikes surrounding the group retracted into the ground, freeing the trio of girls from their spiky cell. Dana slowly walked over to Meg. "Meg." She said as she took her by the shoulders. "Come on. Let's get you out of here. This isn't good for you."

"N-No…" Meg whimpered softly as she slowly pushed Dana's hands away and stood up. "I… I want to stay. I need to stay…"

"Are you sure?" Alex asked, appearing behind Dana.

"Y-Yes." Meg whimpered again. "I need to be here…"

* * *

Jo limply fell from the monster's colossal hand into a small pile on the floor. With another forceful strike, the monster drove it's foot into her chest. The plates of bone slowly started shrinking, the shards on the beast's spine retracting into it's back, as it's muscles slowly grew smaller until it was once again John who had his boot on Jo's chest. "You never seize to shock me, you know?" He growled as he sat on his haunches, still keeping a boot firmly on Jo's chest. "For the first time since I met you, I actually trusted you to stay down. Instead," He reached over his shoulder and drove his fingers into the wound made by Jo's gun, pulling a rather large bullet from it. "You do this. Even I doubted you would stoop that low, but with you, one never knows." Jo let out a few sighs, more black liquid pouring from her mouth, as she shook from the pain of both her wounds and the poison. She tried to glance around and see if Meg was standing near, but lacked the energy to do so.

"Reporting for duty, sir." Captain Cross' radio buzzed atop the factory as a small hearse-shaped vehicle stopped by the side of the factory.

"You're late." Cross said angrily.

"Complications, sir." The driver responded. "Most medics know what Jo did to John and refuse to help." Meg paled at this, only to be reassured by Alex. "Don't worry. If she makes it to the hospital, I'll work on her myself." Some of the colour returned to her face. In the corner, Kouta and Lucy saw Keira ask Seager a question. "Do you think Johnny's gonna trust her again?"

"I doubt it." He replied darkly. "She just blew all her chances."

"You know, I've heard rumours about your 'goal' in life." John told Jo back at the landing bay. "From the other soldiers, the ones who _don't_ want to crucify you. They say you fight for her. What was her name again… oh, yeah. Meg. Tell me, why do you do it? Why do you put your life on the line for her each time she gets kidnapped?" Jo only stared back at him. "Does she even know how you _really_ feel?" Jo's eyes widened a bit. "Struck another nerve?" He taunted her. "You can't answer, can you?" Jo gasped a few times in response. "Didn't think so. So you _obviously_ don't harbour any 'loving feelings' towards her. And a bond of friendship only goes so far. So why do you fight for her?"

Jo averted her gaze from John's eyes, his taunting becoming too much for her. "I've seen how she looks at you. That's definitely not how friends look at each other." Jo turned her attention back to John at these words. "You know, this is quite something… She loves you more than anything in the world. And you're too fucking heartless to do something about it." He spat. "She'd follow you to the ends of the earth, and you know it. But you will _never_ be able to return her feelings. You're a _cold, ruthless murderer_." He said with an impossible amount of disgust in his voice. Jo closed her eyes and turned her head away. She tried to clasp her hands over her ears, but she had lost all feeling of her body. "You can try to deny it." John said. "You can try running from it. But without Alex's help, you'll trip and fall before you even pick up speed." His voice became cold, and as heartless as you can get. "_You are a machine. A monster. A freak of nature, just like me_". He said in the beast's voice. "Some Angel you turned out to be, so easily beat by some primal monster... Hah, how ironic. Ironic that someone who lives to kill gets killed by one who killed to live… You were _created_ to kill. You'll kill Sei someday. And Amy. And even Meg, because that's what you were raised to do. No matter how much they beg, and plead, and cry, you _will_ aim your gun at their foreheads one day." Jo shut her eyes even tighter, fighting the tears threatening to stream from them. "_And in cold blood, you will pull that trigger, just as you did with me. And her…_" Fighting it was inevitable. For the first time, Jo cried. Cried because of what had been revealed to her, cried because of what she was and because of what she would soon do. "But you already took an innocent life." John spoke up. "Two, if I remember correctly."

"_John… You're going to be a father…"_

"_What should we name her?"_

"_I hope she'll be just as headstrong as you one day…"_

"_I love you, Johnny. With all my heart…"_

John's eyes became slightly watery as his memories came back. "And so help me God," he said with a disgusted voice. "I _won't_ allow you to take another." And with that, he flexed his claws again, and swiped them over Jo's throat, slicing it open, making fresh blood spray from five horizontal wounds on her throat. Her last thought ventured to the young girl, her partner, as her vision faded to black.

Meg gasped as her legs gave in. Alex and Cross quickly caught her as she began sobbing loudly. Sei and Amy quickly took over from them, comforting her and stroking her hair as they whispered to her. Dana bit down on her fist as she closed her eyes and looked down. Alicia buried her face in Cross' trench coat. Kouta took his place next to Yuka, who was crying as well.

"Guess that's that…" Seager said as he stood up.

"If only, homie." Dwayne replied. "So many 'if only' situations between dem, it just ain't true."

"That was awesome." Keira piped up with a smirk.

"Wha… Where's your heart?!?" Meg yelled at her through her sobs.

"In my chest, you idiot." Keira replied dryly. "Now before any of you decide to climb down my throat, at least hear me out. She was warned, God knows how many times, not to try that shit again. She finally gets a chance to settle things between her and Beastie, and she goes and shoots him in the back. You know she can live through those injuries. I mean, this _is_ Jo we're talking about. He was merciful now. Something made him reconsider-"

"CROSS!" John yelled from the landing bay, calling the Captain's attention. He was panting heavily, obviously feeling the effects from Jo's bullets. "This fight is over! I've won!" He gripped his side with a grunt before continuing. "But… she's still alive. Just barely, though…" He said loudly as he limped forward.

Cross immediately pulled his radio to his face. "What the fuck are you waiting for? _GO!!!"_ With screeching tyres, the small ambulance below them sped to the scene, ready to help both of the fighters.

"I need to get there too." Alex said with a dead voice. "Can I count on you two to get these guys to their accommodation?"

"Yeah. You just go save her, bro." Dana said with a smile. Alex quickly kneeled and jumped, easily thirty feet into the air, towards Jo's fallen form. As he neared, he spread his arms and the ever-familiar red and black mass surrounded them, causing his descent to slow until he softly landed next to her, kneeling afterwards as the medics rushed to his side. Everyone except Alex's friends gasped as their jaws dropped.

"You hear that, Meg?" Dana said with a grateful face. "She's alive." Meg started crying again, yelling out in relief that her partner was spared.

"Oh, brother…" Keira muttered, running her hand down her face. "Now I need insulin shots…"

"And we know for sure she's going to make it if Alex is going to be her doctor." Cross said, putting an arm around Alicia's shoulders. "Shouldn't take him too long to fix her up, even in that state."

Kouta and Lucy quickly moved to help Sei lift Meg from the ground. When she was up, she embraced both of them. "Thank you… for believing in her…" she said through her sobs.

"Can we get going now?" Keira asked dryly. "I'm getting itchy because of all this happiness…"

"Oh, come off it…" Cross muttered. "We should get going. This had to be quite stressful for you to witness." He turned to Kouta and his family. "Are you familiar with this island yet? Or should I escort you to your home?"

"Uh… we left our maps at home…" Kouta admitted.

"No problem. I'll take you back to the houses. Keira and Dana can escort Meg to a doctor." He turned to said girl. "You need some kind of sedative, you're still shaking."

"O-Okay…" She accepted softly as she started to follow Dana and Keira. Just then a small ambulance rushed by, as well as a dark figure quickly darting across the rooftops, following it closely.

"Showoff!" Dana yelled at the figure, which promptly stopped, revealing itself to be Alex. With an unreadable expression, he glanced down, waited for the ambulance to pass, and sped off again, completely ignoring his sister. "Bastard…" Dana muttered with a smile, and then stalked off towards the hospital. "You two coming?" She asked Sei and Amy.

"Just a minute." Sei replied as she walked to Kouta and Lucy. "Thank you for your help, with keeping Meg calm. You made it a lot easier."

"Anytime." Kouta said. "I think most of us would have reacted the same way she did. Does their relationship really go that far?"

"Yes. And unfortunately, I don't think either of them know what to make of it." She said with a slight smile."

"Before Christmas, please!" Dana yelled back at her. She and Keira were already ahead. "Quit your flirting and get over here!" Keira quipped.

"Well, I need to go now. 'Till later, then." She said as she turned around and bade them farewell.

"It's gonna take her a while to get outta dis." They heard Dwayne say to Seager. "I mean, shit homie, the only reason Meg lived through him a year ago was 'cuz Alex stopped the loon. This time around he didn't do shit."

"Let's hope he changes back now." Seager said as he started walking ahead. "If he can still change back…"

_If he can?_ Kouta wondered. _What does that mean?_

"Hey Kid, you still with us?" Cross pulled Kouta out of his train of thought to see he and Lucy were wandering next to Cross.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Kouta answered. "Captain, what did Seager mean when he said 'if he still can change back'?"

"It means John has focused on each of his negative emotions for the past three years, without paying any mind to the good things in life. Seager must be referring to his soul. Or his humanity. Possibly both. He wasn't such a vengeful monster three years ago. He was quite normal. Seager is the one who changed most after he lost Anne."

"The other Diclonius? Apart from Keira?"

"Yeah. The first one Alex busted out of GenTek." Cross replied. "Great person. Nothing negative to say about her, apart from her problem with the voices…"

"What happened? And how did Seager change?" Lucy inquired.

Cross laughed. "Seager was what you could call an A-grade military badass, with the mouth to boot. He'd always brag about how he was 'unkillable' and how he could be shot in his head and still stand after that. Always cursing at his attackers, yelling about how they needed ten armies to take him down. Somehow, his ammo lasted longer than usual… Anyway, he and Anne had a few problems when they met."

"Problems?" Kouta asked.

"The usual. His arrogance offended her, her straightforwardness offended him, etcetera, etcetera. Typical problems."

"But, no offence meant, Keira is also kind of straightforward and arrogant." Kouta said. "And she was friends with this Anne girl."

"Keira is arrogant, make no mistake." Cross sighed. "But because she was so to say raised by Alex and Dana, she knows when to shut her mouth. Seager… He wouldn't shut up. Not even if he was speaking to Alex."

"Then how did they end up getting married?" Lucy asked.

"Different parts of their behaviour started showing, and they got used to each other." Cross answered. "Left here."

"And they ended up falling for each other?" Kouta asked the captain.

"Yup. Everyone was ecstatic at the news. Even Alex, though he didn't show it because he's a hardass, so it's okay." Cross replied. "Seager started becoming more docile after the marriage. He was still a badass, but his mouth went missing. Some kind of Silent Super soldier."

"And that all changed after she died?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately. His combat skills drastically dropped, and his will to fight disappeared. Alex keeps him on grunt duty now, because he became so weak. There you saw on the bridge, he took one bullet before falling. In the past, he could take thousands and laugh it off like some kind of madman. Another left ahead."

"So he was some kind of superhuman?" Lucy asked.

"He still is." Cross answered. "He was the best in the field, even outscoring me. But now he's a broken man. Completely useless on most occasions. Ah, we're here." He said as they stopped in front of the house Kouta and his family inhabited.

"Thanks for helping us." Yuka said as she joined the trio. "And thanks for the info on Seager. It helps a lot."

"Anytime." Cross smiled. "But that's all I can help with. Anything above commando rank, you'll need to ask Keira, Dana or Alex. I can tell you now, Alex's story is a long, albeit very interesting one." He quickly glanced at the sky. "It's getting dark, and with that comes tons of mist this time of year. I have to go now, if I want to find my way back."

"Okay. We should call it a night too, after what we saw." Yuka said. Alicia took her place by the captain's side. "Bye." They all waved at Cross as he turned and headed for the central building, Alicia following closely as she intently waved at them. Shortly after, they all went inside.

"So now we know why John's nickname is 'Beast'." Kouta said as he slumped into a chair. "Now it makes sense when he said it smelled like we were looking for someone back at the armoury."

"I hardly know how they're going to sleep again if we tell them…" Yuka said sadly, as she watched Nana and Mayu asleep on the couch as a film slurred on the television. "Seeing what he did to that girl Jo… It was inhuman. And Alex just sat there!" She fumed.

"He was keeping Meg from interfering. Heaven knows what John would've done to her if she joined that fight…" Kouta sighed.

"But still…" Yuka said with a frustrated voice. "It was cold and heartless to let John beat the daylights out of that girl! And then he acts so kind and generous with us. I don't understand!" She sat down and sighed. "Why is he so different with everyone? I'd bet the only people who see the real Alex Mercer are Dana and Keira. Anyone else… Have you found out anything new about doctor Mercer?"

"No." Kouta lied again. "Nothing except, like I said before, that he was a cold hearted tyrant. We were interrupted before Keira could tell us much about him. We did find out about some of the people in his inner circle. Who they are, what their techniques are, and so forth."

"That doesn't help…" Yuka muttered lowly. The she stood up. "I'm going to bed. I'm drained." Then she stalked off. Lucy had a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting down next to her. She hesitated for a minute or two.

"I'm not sure… But I think these revelations are affecting Yuka badly. The mysteries around Alex, too. Aren't you scared something might happen? The same counts for Mayu and Nana. They act as if it hardly affects them, but you saw how Nana reacted when she heard about Dr. Mercer…"

"I'm scared of everything on this island." Kouta said softly. "More than ever after I saw John's abilities. And what Alex really is. This… It could tear this family apart…"

"But you're still staying." Lucy admitted. "Why?"

"Because… Somehow, I get the feeling Dr. Mercer knows more than it seems. He already knew about our past. I'm hoping it could help you if I piece it all together…" Lucy's eyes widened slightly. _He's going through this all for me…_ She thought. _He could've left a long time ago. But he's staying. Because of me…_ She leaned against him, allowing him to place an arm around her shoulders.

_But if I'm going to fulfil the promise I made_… Kouta intently thought. _I'm going to need a lot of help. And I know just where to start…_

-----------------------------_**THE FOLLOWING MORNING**_----------------------------

"Get outta here, you old perve!" John yelled at the burly Russian man in the weapons room. "I may be all bandaged up, but I can still kick your ass!"

"Don't underestimate me of my age!" The Russian man replied in broken English. "I kick your nuts that they crack open!"

"You couldn't kick a…"

_**Sniff.**_

John grunted with a grin. _He's gonna try after all…_ Seconds after the thought, the blast doors opened and Kouta stepped in timidly. "You here to preach to me too?" John asked, deliberately sounding fierce. Kouta paled and swayed where he stood. This made John smile darkly.

"Relax kid, I'm just messing with you." He said. "What are you here for?"

"Uhm… I… A few days ago…" Kouta started, then swallowed hard.

John sighed. "A lot happened a 'few days' ago. Be specific."

"Y-You said I'd need to learn to shoot if I want to, erm, live up to the promise I made Lucy…"

"Yes…" John stated as if trying to say 'Obviously'. "What about it?"

"I… I was wondering if you could help me." Kouta said, ignoring his fear. A determined look appeared on his face.

"I dunno…" John sighed. "I mean, reports say you might have a weak heart, especially after the chase… You saw them in the dossier Dana gave you. Besides, it's not like you're going to need to go ape with a machinegun to take care of a few hired guns… And you're not in a good enough physical shape to handle our weapons, either."

"I know." Kouta said. "That's why I came to you."

"The fuck, you want me to train you too?" John asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I-If you can…" Kouta's voice died out as he paled again when he saw John's stern gaze.

_So the boy wants to become a man…_ John smirked as he pointed to one of the gun racks. "Grab a pistol. We'll start with that."

* * *

More blurred figures around her, static coming from every direction. _Not again..._ Lucy thought as she once again gazed upon her younger self in what appeared to be some kind of vision. Only this time, something was different. Very different. One of the hazy silhouettes wasn't a silhouette anymore…

In its place was a young woman, with waist-length black hair and a very shapely figure. She was also kind of pale. That's when it hit her: _She looks like…_ Lucy's train of thought was interrupted when the one door burst open and a very familiar face walked in, followed by two more silhouettes.

"They're here." Alex said sternly.

"Fuckin' finally!" Seager's voice came from one of the silhouettes. "I'll go play the role of their welcoming party…"

"No." Alex said coldly. "We need you here." He turned to the young woman. "Get your daughter, Akira. Nathan's going to be here any minute." The woman nodded as she walked to Young Lucy and picked her up.

"Mommy?" Young Lucy, seemingly no older than four at the time, asked.

"Hush, sweetie." The young woman whispered. "Uncle Alex will take care of everything. Suddenly a loud explosion came from behind them, somewhere outside. Alex turned to the woman named Akira again. "Go! Davis, Anderson, go with her. See that she's kept safe."

"Mommy?" Young Lucy asked again. "Where we going?"

"Somewhere safe." Akira replied.

"Just another day at the office…" One of the silhouettes at the back door spoke in a British accent. "Come on, miss. We need to move before…"

_**BANG!**_

* * *

Lucy woke up with a jerk, and shot upright quickly. She was sweating bullets, and was slightly out of breath. _What's happening to me!? _She thought grasping her head with both hands. _What are these dreams!?_

She quickly headed to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. _I need help… Someone who could tell me what this is…_ She looked in the mirror. She had light rings under eyes, and was still shaking even though it was quite warm outside. She glanced at her bedside clock. 06:30. _Six thirty…_ She quickly moved to her room and got dressed, donning the black leather jacket with the Blackwatch insignia on its back, and headed out the door.

"Hrmm?" Yuka stirred in her sleep. _Must've been the wind..._ She thought groggily and went back to sleep.

Lucy was rushing across the island, jogging at certain areas and walking at a fast pace when she got tired. _I hope I remember the directions_… She thought as she passed the first landing bay. _If anyone can help me now, it's her…_

* * *

"The fuck?" Keira sat up in her bed, still half-asleep and fuming slightly for being woken up so early. She quickly turned her attention to her door. Someone was knocking impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming…" She yelled as she quickly changed. More knocks came, more rapidly than the last. "For fuck's sakes, I said hold on!" She stomped to the door, silently cursing at her visitor, and opened it to reveal Lucy, shaking and sweating again. "Whoa… What happened to you? You look like shit…"

"Please…" Lucy pleaded softly. "I don't know who else to come to…" Keira sighed, a worried expression covering her face.

"Get in here." She said, opening the door to its widest to let her in. She guided Lucy to the living room. "Take a seat, and wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes." Lucy did as she was told, and sat down on one of the couches as Keira went into the kitchen. She looked around as she sat, seeing several bookcases packed with CDs and films. She quickly clenched her fists, trying to stop her hands from shaking. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to find Keira with a cup of steaming liquid in her hand. "Drink this." She said, handing her the cup. "It'll calm you down a bit." Lucy eyed the cup of brown liquid suspiciously.

"What is this?" She asked softly.

"Coffee." Keira replied. "Greatest invention ever." She grinned. "Now, what's wrong? You don't look too good." Lucy thought her predicament over a few times before answering.

"Since I came here…" She started. "After I met everyone here I've been having kinds of…" She thought of a suitable word. "Dreams, or visions."

"Tell me about these visions." Keira said, reclining back in her seat. "What are they about? What do you see in them?"

"M-My past…" Lucy said. "I think. I see a woman, I think it's my mother…"

"Describe her." Keira said.

"She… She looks a lot like me. Only without horns. And black hair." Keira frowned a bit. _Shit…_ She thought. _She's starting to remember sooner than we expected…_ "What else do you see, Lucy?" She asked.

"Uh… Most people are just blurred figures. They all were in the beginning. But after a while… I started hearing their voices, and later some of them became entirely visible. Like this woman, for instance. It's as if I see it all happening right in front of me, as I'm actually standing there…"

"Is there anyone else you recognise in these dreams?" Keira asked.

"Y-Yes…" Lucy said softly. "I've heard Seager's voice from one of the silhouettes. And I see…"

"You see?" Keira pressed on.

"Alex." Lucy said softly. "He speaks to these people as if he's known them for years." She looked up at Keira with a mix of fear and confusion on her face. "What does this mean?"

Keira sighed and averted her gaze from Lucy. "It means we're going to help you now. Wait here." She said as she walked to her room. Lucy heard her speaking softly. _Is she talking to herself?_

A few minutes later she came back. "I just phoned around to find your boyfriend. He's gonna be here in a few minutes. You need to tell him what you told me. After that you need to go see Alex."

"What does he…" Lucy started getting confused. "How does he fit into this? Does he know why I'm seeing these things?"

"Yes. I do too, but it's better if you hear it from his mouth." Keira said flatly. "Now tell me more about these dreams. How many silhouettes are there?"

"Uh…" Lucy thought for a moment. "About eleven, including the ones who I can see and hear." Keira frowned again. "Drink up." She said. "You're gonna need it."

------------------------------_**SEVERAL MINUTES LATER**_-----------------------------

A loud knock came from Keira's front door. "It's open!" She yelled. Kouta came rushing in a few seconds after, panting and sweating.

"John told me I need to come see Lucy. What's going on?" He asked.

"I think it's best if she tells you." And beckoned for him to sit down next to Lucy. He quickly did so, taking Lucy into an embrace as he did. "I'll be leaving you two in peace now." She said as she exited. Lucy was still shaking slightly.

"W-What's wrong?" He asked as he looked at her worriedly. "Keira said something about dreams."

"Yes…" Lucy said softly. Then she told him everything. About the dreams she'd been having, seeing a woman she thought was her mother, hearing Seager in the dreams and seeing Alex, and how he helped the people in her dreams.

Kouta sighed and placed a hand on his head. "I thought I could help you by staying, but now I find out it's causing this…" He closed his eyes. "I should've leaved…"

"No…" Lucy said lowly. "I… Appreciate that you stayed on my behalf. But this…" She looked down, letting her hair cover her eyes. "This is something I need to clear up with Alex. Will you come with me?" She looked at Kouta.

"Anytime." Kouta smiled.

* * *

As they neared Alex's quarters, they saw the door was slightly open. _What's going on? _Lucy thought. She looked at Kouta once, who nodded, and then walked forwards. When they neared the entrance, they heard voices. Dana was arguing with Alex about something. Something serious, by the sounds of Dana's voice. They slowly crept closer, until their arguments became audible.

"…not my daughter, Dana." Alex said.

"She was as good as!" Dana said. "Dammit, Alex, must you always be like this? You're putting reason and rationality above someone who could pass as family to you!"

"She already fainted once." Alex replied. "What she finds out here takes a heavy toll on her. It's best left until she can piece it together for herself."

"What if she can't? Jesus, Alex, this is an insult to Nathan's memory!" Dana silently hissed.

Both Lucy and Kouta's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the Hero of Blackwatch. _What does he have to do with this argument? _Lucy thought as she gritted her teeth. _And who are they speaking about?_

"There's nothing insulting about what I'm doing. According to Keira, Lucy is already starting to remember fragments of her past." Alex spoke calmly.

"You made Nathan and his wife a goddamn promise, Alex!" Dana nearly shouted.

"And I'll see to it that that promise is kept." Alex answered.

"That's not what you're doing now…" Dana muttered.

"That's exactly what I'm doing!" For the first time Kouta and Lucy heard Alex raise his voice. "I swore I'd keep GenTek off her back, and see to it that she lives in peace, without them pursuing her. I never said anything about helping her remember in case that she forgets everything!"

"Helping me remember what?" Lucy asked as she entered the room, much to Kouta's dismay. "What did I forget in the first place?"

"Can't you…" Dana started.

"You may leave, Dana." Alex cut her off coldly. "I'll handle this."

"But what if…"

"I said leave." Alex said darkly. "I'll settle things with you later." With a huff, Dana left the small room. Alex sat back down and motioned for Lucy and Kouta to do the same. "How much did you hear?" He asked.

"We heard everything from the point where you said something about 'not your daughter'." Kouta said.

"What did that mean?" Lucy asked, her condition from the dreams disappearing without a trace.

"Guess there's no use hiding it anymore. I'll thank Dana for this later… Do you know how I know so much about you? And your past, while you can't seem to remember a thing?"

"No." She replied. "But I want to, because these dreams are driving me insane. I see you in them." She said softly. "Why? Were you even really there?"

"I was. I was there the day you were born. And long before it." Alex said calmly. Lucy's eyes widened a bit. She gripped the arms of the chair tightly.

"When I was…" Lucy started before her voice died for a few seconds. "How?" She asked after a while.

"I met your father a couple of years before you were born. He was one of my dearest friends." Alex said calmly. "Believe me when I say you two share a lot of trait's…" Lucy reclined back in the chair, placing a hand over her face. "You… You mentioned the name Nathan earlier. In your argument with Dana. Was my father's name Nathan?" She asked softly.

"Yes." Alex replied. "Nathan Riggs." Lucy gasped softly at this, while Kouta's expression graved. Lucy started shaking again. "Nathan Riggs? The Hero of Blackwatch?" Her voice was soft and shaky. "The man on all the statues?"

"Yes. The woman you see in your dreams is your mother, Akira." Alex replied with a dead voice. Lucy snorted, her eyes wet. "You hail him a Hero… Yet he left me. He left me in that hellish orphanage, to suffer like some kind of animal…" Her voice was filled with anger and hate. "What kind of hero does that to his own daughter!?" She growled. Kouta quickly took her hand, in a bid to calm her down. Alex remained silent, with a grave expression on his face. "ANSWER ME!!" Lucy yelled, standing upright and making Kouta jump. Alex only looked her in the eye.

"It's not something I can say." Alex said softly as he walked over to Lucy and raised his hand to her forehead. Kouta quickly took her by the arm, but found Alex's other hand on his forehead. Just as Lucy readied her vectors, she heard him say: "_But I can show you…_" Just as he finished this sentence, the red and black mass took over his hand and Lucy felt a very odd feeling overtaking her body. A bright light blinded her several moments, and when her view returned to normal, she saw that she was floating in mid air. _What the…_ She thought.

_Where am I? _She heard a thought come from behind her, and turned to find Kouta floating in mid air as well. "Kouta?" She asked. He spun his head in her direction "Lucy! Where are we? What is this?" He asked, going pale again. Everything around them was solid black, except for them, who were ushering a weird glow. "I don't know…" Lucy replied.

"**You're seeing my memories." **Alex's voice came from all around them. **"Telling you wouldn't be enough, I have to show you what happened with your parents if you're going to believe me."**

"What the…" Lucy was cut off as the blackness around them evaporated to reveal a blue sports car pulling up in front of an apartment complex. The driver's door opened, and Dana stepped out. Lucy noted her hairstyle was different, now long and auburn in colour. The passenger side opened and the woman Lucy saw in her dreams, who Alex had called Akira, climbed out holding a young girl's hand. This girl had crimson hair, and two small horns sticking out of her head. Lucy's eyes widened, and Kouta gasped. "Is that you?" He asked her softly. "You're cute as a kid…" He smiled, making her cheeks turn slightly pink. Then she looked up and around her. "Alex!" She yelled. "Where are we?"

"**The outskirts of Kamakura." **Alex's voice came from all around them again. **"I believe the year is 1994…"**

* * *

A/N: Ooh, the plot thickens! I hope… Anyhow, what is so special about 1994? What role does Alex Mercer play in Lucy's past? And how does Alex's inner circle fit into the story? All shall be answered soon!

In the meantime, please read and review, and tell me what you think about my fighting scene! I need more feedback to improve in case it's so badly done I need to scrap it…

Cheers!

--Slipkn0T--


	7. 7 Revelations Pt2

A/N: I'm baaaack! Just for a little while, actually… After I psot this it's off to study for the exams… Jeez, I freakin' hate it when this happens. Anyhow, let's recap, shall we?

Chapter 1 – Lucy goes back to the inn, Blackwatch and GenTek monitor her, Blackwatch's officials become known.

Chapter 2 – Blackwatch's true cards come out, the mysterious owner of Blackwatch appears, as well an unknown creature bent on finding Lucy.

Chapter 3 – A large Helicopter attacks the inn, and a Blackwatch commando named Dwayne Hughes, who can control electricity, saves them. Blackwatch evacuates them to their special fortress.

Chapter 4 – Alex Mercer, commander of the Blackwatch forces, becomes known. Mariko is alive, Lucy finds out that Alex too was to be called one of the Diclonius, but the name was dropped in favour of Blacklight while new Diclonius were created.

Chapter 5 – Kouta and Lucy research Doctor Mercer and his comrades and find out about the Supreme Hunter, a being of immense power. Lucy and Kouta (possibly) befriend Jo, an experimental war machine, and her girlfriend Meg.

Chapter 6 – Jo and John Steele engage in a fight to settle their three-year-old rivalry. John lets loose all his dormant power, and tortures Jo, but lets her live. Kouta starts to undertake weapons training as Lucy's visions and dreams become more frequent. Alex Mercer uses a memory-seeing power and takes Lucy back to the year 1995.

And now we're here! Chapter 7… All the questions will possibly be answered in this chapter, from who Lucy's parents were to what she really is, and her past life travelling with Mercer's coup. So, without further ado, I give you: Revelations, Pt. 2! Enjoy!

PS: Just so btw, John Steele's 'power' from last chapter is a modified version of the Berserker from the game _Gears of War_. A controllable, intelligent one…

* * *

CHAPTER 7

Revelations Pt 2

"What?" Lucy asked. "1995? Why is this time so important?"

"**You'll see in due time."** Alex's reply came. **"Like I said, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. You're already set on quite a few negative feelings towards your father…"** Lucy turned back to the scene with a grunt, and observed quietly.

"What's so important, Dana?" Akira spoke up. "I was on my way, it wasn't necessary to pick us up." She said, stroking Young Lucy's hair as said girl clung to her mother.

"Ask Alex when he and Nathan get here." Dana sighed. "Anne will fill us in when we get to the apartment." Even though she looked no older than she was now, she seemed extremely tired. "I just heard something that GenTek are going to attack us soon." Lucy's eyes widened as she heard that last comment, before the scene around them blurred and changed again. This time, Akira and Dana were in a small apartment, surrounded by a few people with guns. Keira sat on one of the bookshelves, looking no more than eleven years old at the time. For some reason, her hands were charred. _This must be a few days after that power terminal incident…_ Lucy thought. Next to Keira, another Diclonius with blue hair and eyes was resting on one of the shelves.

"That must be Anne." Kouta said, a bit fascinated at Alex's circle of friends.

"Seager's wife…" Lucy said glumly.

"What's going on, Anne?" Akira asked turning to the blue haired Diclonius. "Why are all these mercs here? And why are they all so heavily armed?"

"GenTek are going to attack." Anne said calmly. "They're not only sending S.A.T."

"What… What does that mean?" Akira asked, going a bit pale.

"Should we tell her?" Keira asked as she leaned over to Anne.

"We have to." Anne said sadly. "Hawk came back to us on the leads we gave him. He's been monitoring the Japanese government since '92."

"So?" Akira asked shakily. "What does that have to do with-?"

"The Japanese military are on their side now." Anne cut her off seriously. "They're sending three divisions after us. We've all been labelled international terrorists." Akira paled completely as her hands started shaking. "We're also the most wanted people in Japan. They tried for the rest of the world as well, but failed." Akira sat down on one of the chairs, panting lightly. "I know this isn't the best news, but we're going to get you out of here. You and your daughter. Nathan, Alex, John and Seager are waiting at the heliport. Hawk and Adams will meet us on the way there, with more reinforcements."

"All of this, just for my daughter?" Akira asked in disbelief, shaking her head. "He's lost it…"

"Duh." Keira quipped, earning her a harsh look from Anne, which she returned with a goofy grin.

"When do we…" Akira's voice died out in her throat.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Young Lucy suddenly asked. "Where is Daddy?"

"Daddy's waiting for us." Akira smiled at her, before turning back to Anne. "When do we leave?"

"Right now." Anne said as the mercenaries and guerrilla fighters around them cocked their guns. "We'll be moving in a convoy, with overhead protection from four choppers. We have access to AA weaponry, as well as rockets and explosive charges if necessary." Anne's eyes became cold. "As much as you don't like it, anyone who comes near you or your daughter tonight dies."

* * *

The scene around them changed again, becoming solid black before melting away again to reveal several large choppers at some kind of low-class airstrip. Alex and the man named Nathan Riggs were standing outside one of the bunkers, silently listening to the sounds of fists hitting flesh coming from inside it.

"Must say, Seager's quite the animal…" Nathan grinned, lighting up a cigarette.

"That's not Seager…" Alex said opening one of his eyes, glancing at the door as it opened. A much younger John Steele stepped out, droplets of blood covering his face, the bandages over his left hand stained completely red.

"She's willing to talk now, bro." John said with a slight grin. "Took quite a beating to loosen her tongue…"

"Can she speak?" Alex asked monotonously.

"I sure hope so." Beast said dryly. The trio entered the hangar, where Seager had taken over John's role of beating the necessary info out of their hapless victim, a woman of no more than about twenty-five. On her chest, right above the symbol showing her rank, a nametag read Jennifer Adams.

"To think we trusted this piece of shit." Seager, lacking the shades and dreadlocks, said as he delivered another crushing punch to the young woman's face, blood enveloping his hand as it made impact. "Took us quite a while to convince Hawk to let her go, too." More punches followed, spraying blood in random directions, until Alex strode forward and grabbed hold of his fist as he aimed another punch.

"That's enough." He said calmly as he let go of Seager's fist, and strode over to the young redhead. "Now you see we're serious." He said, taking her by the forehead and directing her swollen eyes up to him. "Now I'm going to ask one last time, before I do this the _easy_ way: Why did the military seal of the roads on the outskirts?" The young woman muttered something in her breath, before attempting to spit in Alex's face, which failed miserably because of her swollen face. "Such a pity." He said sinisterly, raising his right arm as the black clawed hand that he had shown Lucy in his quarters took form. Just before he struck, however, a phone rang.

"Her cell phone." John growled as he handed it to Nathan. Nathan quickly answered without a word, and paled as the phone call went on. After a few minutes, he pressed the red button and dropped the phone.

"Who was that?" Alex asked calmly, letting go of Jennifer Adams' head as he walked over to Nathan. However, before he could reach him, Nathan drew a golden handgun from a holster on his back and shot the young woman in the head three times, making Lucy and Kouta clasp their hands over their mouths. "Wh-What the hell?" Kouta nearly shrieked. Lucy only stared on, wide-eyed at her father's heartlessness.

"They know…" Nathan said softly. "They sealed the roads to stop them leaving town that way…" He looked up with a frightened expression. "They're going to ambush my wife!" Alex's expression turned serious. He turned to John and Seager. "There's a gatling gun in that closet there. Take the scout chopper and follow us. Try to keep up." John nodded, as Seager ran to the closet and removed a rather large, multi-barrelled weapon fed by a long belt of bullets.

"Oh, hell yes!" He exclaimed excitedly, spooling the weapon without hesitation. Alex turned to Nathan as the four exited the hangar. "Is your bike close?"

"Like you need to ask…" He said, walking around the side of the hangar. Alex turned to John and Seager.

"Don't fuck this up." He said sternly. "There are lives at stake here."

"Not if I get there, bro." Seager said with a broad smile. "You know me, I'm fuckin' indestructible." Alex grimaced at Seager's slight lack of insight, then turned when they heard an engine ignite. "Start the chopper and get going!" He said sternly as he turned and started jogging to the gate. Just as he reached it, a red and black motorcycle screamed past him, and he took off into a sprint, growing faster with each step until he drew up next to the bike. "How many?" He said calmly, making it sound as if he wasn't running at all.

"Three divisions." Nathan said with wide eyes. "Including heavy armour and a few choppers."

"Keira can handle the armour." Alex said. "And we have anti-air weapons and four Hueys. And knowing Anne, she'll lead those mercs to take care of the divisions easily." He looked over at Nathan, gripping the handlebars of his bike so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Nathan!" He called fiercely, making the ex-soldier glance at him. "They'll be fine. Don't worry."

* * *

The scene around Lucy and Kouta turned black again, this time staying so for a few moments before a loud explosion drove the blackness away, revealing a small convoy of vehicles being attacked from the side of the road. The blue haired Diclonius Anne was barking orders at the mercs left and right, as Akira, holding a crying Lucy, hid behind one of the wrecks, with Keira using her blades to dispose of anyone who came near them. "You two, draw that gunner's attention! You lot, give them covering fire!" She quickly turned to three mercs behind her. "Flank that jeep and blow it!"

"Yes ma'am!" One of the mercs replied, quickly guiding his comrades to the left of the large truck. Anne quickly turned to Keira. Lucy and Kouta did the same, and were shocked at how quickly and easily an eleven-year-old Diclonius was taking down her opponents. It almost seemed like she was dancing, cutting down two to three opponents with each swing of her blades. All bullets that flew to her stopped dead about a meter from her, and fell to the ground. In one of the vehicles close to her, Akira and Lucy, Dana was shouting at a small screen over all the noise. Oddly, she also had two blades strapped to her back.

"Dammit, Kurama, do something! You're a spy, for fuck's sakes!" She yelled viciously.

"Double agent, Dana." Kurama replied flatly over the small screen. "And I'm doing my best. Just hold on a bit longer." He finished as the screen turned black.

"You're best isn't good enough!" Dana yelled at the black screen, her frustration finally getting to her. "DAMMIT!" She cried as she grabbed a rifle from one of the racks in the vehicle and climbed out, gunning down two soldiers right off the bat.

"Anne!" She called to the blue haired woman, drawing her attention from dicing those who came close to her into meaty chunks with her vectors. "Have you heard anything from Alex yet?" Anne hardly had time to reply, as an area in front of her exploded after a loud bang echoed across the battlefield, as a large military tank rolled onto the scene, followed by two choppers. "Oh SHIT!" Dana yelled as she tackled Anne, who had been thrown back, out of the way of another shell that came from the monstrous machine. Keira suddenly appeared next to Dana and Anne.

"I can take that thing!" She said seriously. "I can if you'll let me!"

"But Alex told us…" Dana hesitated. "Alex wants to keep you safe."

"He wants to keep us all safe!" She said through gritted teeth as another explosion sounded near them. "Just let me handle it!" Dana pondered for a while.

"Fine." She sighed. "Just…" In the blink of an eye, Keira disappeared. Her silhouette could just barely be seen as she darted across the battlefield at an abnormal speed. "…Hurry." Dana finished with a sigh. "Alex is gonna shit on me for this…"

"How is she so fast?" Kouta gasped. "Even at that age…

"I don't know…" Lucy said softly. They both watched Keira run at the tank with blinding speed, easily running up the sides of walls and jumping and flipping over obstacles to avoid bullets from its machinegun. "Amazing…" Lucy muttered under her breath. She watched as Keira came dangerously close to the tank, and then jumped forward so fast the dust around the area she stood kicked up. With one graceful move, she drew her blade and sliced at the barrel of the tank, cutting it neatly in half. Then they saw what was in her other hand…

"Good bye…" She smile broadly as she bit down on the pin of the grenade, pulled it out with her teeth and threw it down the opening in the barrel right after it fired again. Then, using the mounted gun atop the tank as some kind of springboard, she propelled herself high into the air as the tank was blown to bits below her.

"That'll teach ya…" She smiled widely, before a whooshing sound came from besides her. She turned just in time to see the missile coming her way, and she was in such a position that she couldn't dodge it. With a slight gasp, she clamped her eyes shut and waited for the impact.

"Oh no!" Kouta and Lucy both yelled at the same time. However, just as the missile would hit her, a figure dashed up from out of nowhere, pulling her out of the way at such speed that the missile swung off course after the figure passed it. Then, in a flash, the figure launched at the helicopter in mid-air. Before the pilot could react, the chopper split neatly into three pieces, before each piece exploded. Dust rose as the figure landed, setting Keira down on her knees. She slowly opened her eyes, and stared up at Alex, kneeling next to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked he brushed her fringe aside to examine her face. "Are you hurt?"

"Alex!" She cried as she jumped up and hugged him. "I thought I was…"

"You're not." Alex replied with a smile as he broke the embrace. "You're safe. You will be as long as I'm around. Now I need you to go to Dana. Tell her to get through to Kurama again. Then you need to help Nathan get Akira and her daughter out of here. Got it?" Keira quickly wiped the tears forming in her eyes away.

"Yeah!" She said happily. "You can count on me!" She quickly ran off to help Dana, disappearing across the battlefield. Alex, on the other hand, turned to the remaining seven choppers, and the other four tanks that entered the fray.

"Attacking those close to me…" He muttered as he held his right arm, the red and black mass enveloping it again. In less than a few seconds, the lower part of his arm grew, and extended to a length of about nine feet. "You know, this thing was quite small at first…" He said as he held his long arm horizontally in front of him, as the red and black mass disappeared to reveal a nine-foot long, black and red blade easily sharp enough to cut the air itself. Just then, a motorcycle stopped behind him, and Nathan Riggs took off his helmet.

"Where are they!" He asked with a shaky voice.

"Their car is the sixth in the convoy. They should be near there. Keira went to help hold them off." Then Nathan saw the choppers and tanks, and started getting off his bike.

"You act as if you just met me." Alex ushered him away with a grin. "I'll be fine. There's a house up the road. Take your family there. And take a few mercs with you."

"But…" He tried to say something convincing, but Alex cut him off.

"Your family needs you." He said with a genuine smile. "Go. These clowns don't have a chance."

* * *

The blackness came once again, and evaporated to reveal a few soldiers and a jeep assaulting a small cottage. A large chopper had landed in the clearing in front of it, as soldiers came at the house from all sides, doing their best to stop Alex Mercer from advancing towards the chopper, Nathan Riggs following close behind him. Oddly, he had a very determined expression on his face. Then Lucy and Kouta saw why…

"Daddy! Uncle Mercer!" Young Lucy cried as she was dragged to the helicopter waiting in front of a house. Nathan was running at the chopper as fast as he can, holding an assault rifle in his arms, ready to shoot any who dared to stand in his way. He was followed closely by Alex, who had substituted his blade in favour of his clawed hands, and Akira, though she was limping quite badly. "LET MY DAUGHTER GO, YOU BASTARDS!" Nathan yelled at a middle-aged man. Several loud _**BANG**_s came from his gun, followed by a hail of automatic fire flying at a very young Sergeant and his guards. Behind him, Alex spoke with the same cold voice he was known for. "Nathan, GET DOWN!" He yelled as he dived into Nathan, pushing him out of a rocket's way. An explosion sounded behind them. "I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL KILL YOU, YOU MONSTER!" Nathan yelled as he emptied his magazine into the chopper. Alex turned to Akira again. "Akira, get out of here! We'll handle this!"

As the ramp to the back of the helicopter closed, Young Lucy screamed again: "Daddy! Uncle Mercer! HELP!"

Lucy started shaking as she saw the ramp close up, drowning out her screams, as the large chopper took off.

"Akira, get back into the house!" Alex yelled as he attacked several more soldiers who came at him and Nathan. "Something could…"

"It's making another pass!" One of the mercs cut him off, pointing at the large helicopter as it turned around, it's side now parallel to the house.

"What the…" Nathan was cut off as a gatling gun appeared in the side entrance and started peppering the mercenaries with lead. Alex quickly jumped to his side when the gun started aiming at him, his arm now shifting into a large, black shield as he held it up in front of him. Alex started barking orders at the mercs from behind it.

"Take out that gunner!" He yelled to a group of five mercs taking cover behind a burnt out wreck. "Draw it's attention away from the house!"

"Yessir!" The leader of the small packed answered, darting out into the field followed closely by his comrades. Suddenly the constant fire on Alex's shield stopped. He lowered it a bit to look out from behind it, Nathan taking the brave route and standing out in the open. The gun spooled again, but this time, it wasn't aiming at Nathan, or Alex. They glanced around and saw the gunner's true target: Akira was limping up the stairway to the house.

Nathan's eyes went wide, and before he could do anything as the Gatling gun went off again, spraying the area where Akira was walking, sending chunks of rock and blood flying. His face lost all colour as he saw her body fall lifelessly to ground, and his eyes directed to the gunner, filled with hate and anger. As Alex's shield disappeared, Nathan drew his trademark golden handgun, and took aim. He bared his teeth as he fired every bullet in the direction of the gunner, hitting him twice in the shoulder before another string of bullets tore the gunner apart.

"Kickass!" They heard Seager exclaim as the small scout chopper came onto the scene, with him standing in the one entrance touting the abnormally large chain gun in one hand. "This gun rocks!" He laughed as he jumped from the helicopter, landing squarely on one of the wrecks before continuing to mow down the rest of the Japanese soldiers with ease. A few explosions sounded on the battlefield, and several other choppers started firing at the soldiers as well.

"_Need some help?_" A voice came from the short wave radio's Alex had issued Nathan and the rest with.

"Hawk! About time!" John yelled as he too jumped from the helicopter. Leaving it to crash into a tank. In an instant, his muscles started convulsing as they grew, plates of bone covering each square inch of his body. Lucy and Kouta flinched as they remembered how fierce he could be when he became like this, which was quickly backed up when he punched a tank so hard it flew into the air. The last thing they saw before the blackness came again, was Alex kicking off of the ground and propelling himself towards the chopper, the long black blade forming on his arm again.

* * *

The blackness came again, and evaporated to show the remains of the battlefield. Destroyed choppers, the burning wrecks of tanks and a few hundred mutilated soldiers were scattered about as the survivors of the mercenaries were stacking the corpses, setting them on fire to dispose of them. Amidst all this, through the smoke from one area, a soldier bearing a GenTek S.A.T uniform walked forth, his hand gripped tightly by Young Lucy, following close and clinging to him as if her life depended on it. As soon as the mercenaries caught sight of said soldier, they all halted what they were doing and aimed at him, making Young Lucy flinch and hide behind him.

"Lower your weapons, idiots." The soldier spoke as his body turned into a moving mass of red and black, before Alex took form again. "You should know what I do by now." Young Lucy just gripped onto his jacket, crying lightly. Alex looked over to the entrance of the house and saw Nathan, on his knees beside his fallen wife, and his expression faltered. Just then, Dana and Anne appeared next to him.

"Alex!" Dana said exhausted. "What the…" She saw Alex's expression and looked in the same direction. She clasped a hand over her mouth when she saw Akira's lifeless body at the bottom of the steps. "My God…" Anne simply stood there and stared at the scene, too dumbfounded to say anything. Young Lucy tugged at Alex's jacket.

"What's wrong with Mommy?" She asked innocently. "Is she sleeping?" She squinted in the direction of her father. "I can't see…" Alex quickly knelt beside her.

"You need to go with Dana and Anne now. I need to go speak to your father. He'll tell you later." Lucy nodded solemnly and took Dana's hand as Alex rose again. "Take her to the medic. Give her something to calm down. She's going to need it." Dana was shaking slightly when she looked at Alex.

"I… I'll try…" She gasped, before closing her eyes and steadying her breathing. She then gave Young Lucy a slight tug. "This way, sweetie." She said, cracking a false smile. "We need to get you healed up…" She turned and headed away from the scene, with Young Lucy and Anne following close behind. Alex turned back to Nathan and started walking towards him. On his way there, a man in his early fifties, wearing what seemed like a tuxedo, joined him.

"Now Akira too…" He said, his British accent clearly audible. "Don't these monsters know when to stop?"

"I doubt it, Hawk." Alex replied softly. "Kakuzawa doesn't know any limits. There is no line for him to cross." The duo finally reached Nathan, hunched next to his dead wife, cradling her fallen form in his arms. Lucy started to cry as she looked at her mother. Her eyes were still open; no life evident in them, and her body was riddled with bullet wounds. The majority of the steps were covered in blood. Alex knelt next to Nathan and put a hand on his shoulder. "Nathan…"

"I'll find them…" Nathan said, looking up. Lucy and Kouta saw tears running down his cheeks. "I swear to God I'll find them… And when I do, I'll kill each of them!" He looked down at his wife again and cupped her cheek in his hand. "They'll pay for this…" He said through his sobs.

"Nathan, your daughter needs you." Alex said sadly. "She's confused, scared and disoriented. You need to go to her." Nathan looked up at him and the man called Hawk through teary eyes.

"We'll take care of Akira." Hawk said softly. "Go to your daughter, Nathan. You two need each other more than ever now."

"We'll get her cleaned up." Alex continued. "Go. Don't worry about this." Nathan sighed, as he unwillingly let go of his wife. He stood up and walked towards a tent in the distance. Alex remained on one knee. Hawk sighed as he looked back at Akira.

"This makes how many now?" He asked sadly. "Jennifer turned on us, Gabriel and Melissa got killed. And now Akira's dead too…" Alex didn't say anything, as he extended his hand and ran it down Akira's face, closing her eyes.

"If this is becoming too much to bear, I'll understand if you left." Alex said afterwards, turning to look at Hawk. "I understand you lost a lot of close friends because of me." Hawk lit up a cigarette, and inhaled deeply before answering.

"I can't do this anymore, Alex…" He said. Lucy lost focus as she started crying loudly. Kouta quickly moved over and hugged her as the scene around them turned black again.

"She cared…" Lucy said through her sobs. "She cared… about me… And she was killed for it!" She said as hugged him tighter.

"**You should speak up if this is getting too hard to take in."** Alex's voice echoed around them again. Lucy tried to speak, but at first, only tears came. After a while, she finally spoke.

"No…" She said through her sobs. "I… I need to see more…" She could hear Alex sigh around her.

"**As you wish."** The scene around them shifted to what looked like some kind of estate. Around it, guards were continuously patrolling the ground and helicopters circled around the mansion. Then the view moved to a troop carrier approaching the estate. Inside it, Alex sat beside Nathan and Keira, now looking older, about thirteen years old. Alex was now donning a sleeveless black hoodie, while Keira wore some kind of battle suit consisting of a tank top and tights. Two katanas were strapped to her back. Nathan was busy attaching pieces of equipment to rifle. It shocked Lucy to see the difference between this man and the one she saw minutes ago. Nathan's beard had grown, covering his entire jaw, and his hair was tied back into a small ponytail. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked much older than when her 'mother' died.

"Wha… When is this?" Kouta asked, wide-eyed at how much the 'Hero of Blackwatch' changed.

"**1997"** Alex answered. **"One year after GenTek first succeeded in kidnapping you."**

"I… I've been in there for a year?" Lucy asked, cautiously glaring at the mansion. Her crying had subsided, sadness replaced by shock.

"**Your mother's death hit your father very hard."** Alex said. **"It affected him so much, he eventually lost you too. That broke him. He stayed that way for about a month before we could get his hopes up."**

Across Alex, Keira and Nathan, Dana and the Diclonius named Anne were busy fidgeting with a computer. Lucy saw that Anne had a black and white pistol strapped under her arm. "Why do you need that, anyway?" Dana, now with short, black hair, asked stoically. "Aren't you supposed to be 'superior' or something?"

"There are some things my vectors can't stop." Anne said without looking up from the hardware she was working on.

"But mine can!" Keira piped happily. Alex smirked.

"And I don't know why." Anne smiled. "But I can still kick your ass…"

"I know why yours can't stop fifty cal bullets. And I know why hers can." Seager spoke from near the cockpit with a cheeky smile.

"Wow." Anne said with a blank expression. "No shit? You actually know something?" She placed a hand over her mouth and acted shocked. "What a surprise…"

"How low." Seager bit back. "Eleven long years and you still throw the same old shit. That's a new record, ol' girl." Anne frowned, Alex lowered his head and Nathan turned his attention towards them. Seager turned to Keira. "Anyway, girly, the reason you can stop big bullets and she can't is because you're Awesome, and she's not."

"Hey!" Anne barked. "I can be awesome the day I want to."

"You couldn't be Awesome even if you were _me_. And _I_, as you know, am the most Awesome person on earth…"

"What a lunatic…" Alex looked to his right and saw John sit down next to Keira. "Do they always bicker like this?"

"This is one of their better days." Keira said seriously. "You haven't seen anything yet…" Alex chuckled at those words. Suddenly, the pilot spoke up.

"Okay, ladies and gents, we're about a minute away from the estate." He said in a thick German accent. "Get your gear on, and keep your radios handy for when you need extraction."

"We won't need it, Harold." Alex said. "This is just a drop-off. We'll take one of the planes here to escape."

"Godspeed then, old friend." The pilot replied. A loud click came from the hatch of the chopper, and Lucy looked around to see Seager strap a big, steel box to his back.

"I'm gonna take the front entrance." He said, glancing at Anne. "Just to show how awesome I am." Anne rolled her eyes. "Damn, this is gonna be sweet!" He laughed, pulling a belt of bullets from the box and inserting it into another large, multi-barrelled weapon. "Besides, I got another minigun! Let them try to stop me now… Hey, bro!" He called Alex, who looked at him with a blank expression. "How many bullets does this box have?"

"About forty-five thousand." Alex replied calmly.

"Oh, Hell yes!" Seager beamed. "That equals one big-ass amount of mayhem…" Anne sighed, and tied her hair into a ponytail. Keira quickly adjusted her katanas, then fidgeted with her belt, adjusting four silver daggers.

"You gonna let her fight?" John asked Alex. "I mean, I know you and Dana are training her, but do really think she's up for this? There's close to a thousand soldiers in there."

"If she can take down a tank, she can survive this." Alex said blankly. "After all, it is her choice."

"I hope you're right, bro." John said as he slung his bow across his shoulder, then walked over to Anne and Seager. Alex stood up and walked to Dana, who was busy gearing up for the mission.

"You ready?" He asked softly, as she fastened a large, two-handed katana to her back, and a very long knife to her belt.

"As I'll ever be." She said shakily, anger evident in her voice.

"Easy." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Save your hate for Kakuzawa. I know you and Akira were close, but you can't let anger cloud your judgement. Especially not now."

"Gear up, people!" The pilot said again. "They have visual on us! E.T.A twenty seconds!"

"Get ready." Alex said, and turned to Nathan, who was also sheathing a big knife. "This is all for your daughter. We will draw their attention, you go find her. We'll regroup outside the greenhouses."

Nathan quickly loaded his gun. "You don't need to tell me twice." He said solemnly.

"Ten seconds!" The pilot yelled. "They almost have a lock on us!" The group walked to the exit hatch of the helicopter, and each took up a stance. Nathan cocked his gun, and John raised his bow and quickly drew four arrows. Keira and Dana placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, and Anne drew her pistol as Seager spooled the chain gun. Lastly, Alex's hands reformed to a pair of muscular, grey arms. "We've arrived!" The pilot yelled again. "Circling around… Opening hatch. Get ready, my friends." A shaft of light illuminated the helicopter as the rear hatch stared sliding open. "Off you go, friends!" The pilot yelled as the group lunched themselves from the chopper, just as the pilot spoke: "God be with you, brothers…"

* * *

Blackness took over the scene once again, this time pausing to let Lucy recompose herself. **"You're going to need to relax for what you're going to see."** Lucy gulped at these words. The scene once again became clear, showing Alex and Keira running down a hallway. At the end of the hall, Nathan Riggs' voice could be heard, loud and very angry.

"What the fuck did you do to her, you bastard!"

"Hehe… Forced amnesia's a bitch, isn't it, Riggs?"

"Not good…" Alex muttered as he and Keira picked up speed, kicking down the door just in time to see Nathan drive his knife vertically into his victim's throat, and a crying Lucy standing behind him, about seven at the time.

"Nathan!" Alex called, pulling the man off his victim. "What happened?"

"I don't know!" Nathan said loudly. "I don't know what the fuck they did to her, but her mind's _fucked_!" Alex glanced at Lucy, staring at them all in fear. Keira was the first to try to get through to her.

"Yo…" She said with a smile. "You remember me?" She asked, slowly edging closer to Lucy. But Lucy clamped her eyes shut, and squealed as Keira was thrown backwards. "Ow!" She yelled as her body made impact with a steel bookcase. "That hurt…"

"Stay away!" Lucy yelled, crying heavily.

"Calm down…" Keira said again, standing up and gripping her side. "We're not gonna hurt you…"

"Where are you!" Lucy hysterically asked. "I can't see! Everything's blurry…"

"Hey! It's me, Keira! Don't you remember me?"

"Keira? Ke…NO! You're lying! You just want to stick those needles in me again!" Several items around her started levitating, spinning violently.

This time, Alex spoke up. "Kaede, it's us, your friends. Your dad's here too."

"Prove it!" Lucy yelled, crying loudly.

"You were almost kidnapped three years ago!" Nathan said. "They tried to take you from Keira and Dana and all the rest, but Alex saved you!"

"Everyone here knows that!" Lucy yelled again.

"I also know what happened afterwards, Kaede. I found you in the medical tent, then I told your mommy was gone…" Lucy calmed a little, and Nathan stepped forward slowly. "I hugged you and I told you Mommy's in a better place right now, and you shouldn't be sad! She'd wanted you to be happy!" The objects floating around Lucy fell to the ground she started to shake, muttering inaudible words. "I held you for a long time, telling you we'd be okay, and that I wouldn't let anyone hurt you…" Nathan continued. "I told you that I loved you with all my heart, and that I would do _anything_ to keep you safe!" Nathan was also crying lightly. Lucy looked up, tears soaking her face. Nathan moved forward again. "I couldn't keep my promise… I let them take you away from me…" Lucy started crying again, and lunged forwards, latching around Nathan's waist. "Daddy…" she cried softly. Nathan knelt and hugged her. "I'm so sorry, Kaede… You're safe now… We're here now…"

* * *

Lucy started crying again as the scene turned black. "He loved me…" she sobbed. "He really loved me…" Kouta quickly embraced her again, blinking back his own tears after the scene they just witnessed. "He cared…" she cried. Kouta just hugged her tighter, unable to say anything. "Then… How did I end up at the orphanage?"

"**We're getting to that."** Alex replied. **"I'll need you to stay calm for this."**

Lucy solemnly nodded, ready to take on anything. _I saw my mother die…_ she thought. _There can't be much worse than that…_

The scene changed again. Alex and Keira were running through a large garden, closely followed by Nathan and Lucy. It seemed like she was still having trouble seeing clearly, as she was holding onto her father's jacket for dear life. "Keep her close!" Alex yelled. "They want her at their main facility. Everyone and everything in their way is expendable."

"I waited a year for this!" Nathan said loudly. "I won't wait another-"

_**BANG!**_

Several explosions dotted the garden, sending earth and bit's of foliage flying in all directions. Lucy was thrown backwards because of one the explosions, and hit her head on one of the concrete walls. A sharp _crack_ was heard as one of her horns broke clean off. Lucy fell to the ground, unconscious as blood pooled around her head.

"KAEDE!" Nathan cried, lunging at his daughter in a bid to keep he safe, only to be met by a knee to his face. He staggered backwards, and looked up to see Bando standing over his daughter's body. "You…" He said softly. The sounds of battle came from behind the two, and Lucy and Kouta turned to see Alex take on a squad of soldiers, hacking away with his clawed hands. "Were you the one who kidnapped her?"

"Of course. You think I'd pass up the chance to fuck you over?" Bando grinned. He quickly took aim with his gun. However, his shot was interrupted when a set of red and black spikes erupted from the ground beneath him, shattering his gun on impact. "_SHIT!_" He cried as he rolled backwards, dodging the spikes. Nathan wasted no time, pulling his knife from his belt and charging at Bando, ready to strike.

"No, you don't!" Bando cried, pulling another gun from his belt and attempting to aim. Nathan dodged to the side and lunged with his blade, a loud _clang_ emanating from the colliding weapons as Bando raised his gun to block the knife. Nathan was quicker, though, throwing a right hook at Bando, hitting him square in the face, and attacked with his blade. Bando quickly moved to the side, causing the blade to barely cut him. Nathan quickly followed up again, with a roundhouse kick landing in Bando's gut, and then attacked with an uppercut, knocking his rival off his feet.

Bando landed on his stomach, skidding a few inches further. As he got up on all fours, Nathan stomped on his lower back, driving him back into the ground. Alex appeared a few feet from him, drenched in blood as his hands took their normal form again. In a flash, Nathan had his knife raised above his head. "This is for my daughter…" He growled, and readied his knife to strike.

_**BOOM!**_

A loud gunshot rang from somewhere in the distance and Nathan's lower back and stomach seemingly exploded. Wide-eyed, he dropped his knife, and fell forward.

"NO!" Lucy cried as she watched the scene before her. She watched her father fall onto the ground, blood pooling around his body.

Alex's eyes ignited with anger, as he dashed towards the sniper with near impossible speed, dodging left and right so quickly it looked like he was disappearing and reappearing. Alex quickly disappeared from the scene, leaving Keira, Bando, Lucy and Nathan in his wake.

Nathan stirred slightly, and looked up towards his daughter, who was also stirring. Lucy slowly sat up, gripping her head. She looked up and around, and her eyes fell on Keira first, also drenched in blood from her fair share of kills. "You okay?" She asked, panting heavily, her hand covering a wound on her side.

Lucy groaned as she sat up further. "Wha…Where am I?" She asked. "Who are you?" Keira paled. "Who are these people?" Lucy asked loudly. "What is this place?" Suddenly, the bottom of a gun struck her in the neck, and she fell forward, unconscious again.

"Your father's not in a good state now." Bando grinned. "So I might as well vent my frustrations on you. After all, you are-"

_**SNIKT!**_

"AHH!" Bando yelled in pain as one of Keira's silver dagger lodged itself under his chest, buried to its handle in his flesh.

"Shit…" He grunted, plucking the dagger from his chest. "You'll die for that, you bitch!"

"You won't lay a hand on my friends." Keira said softly. "Not someone like you."

"Fine then." Bando hissed. "Then you die first!" He aimed his gun at her, only to find a hand pushing it away from her.

"I think not." Alex said softly, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. "Not while I'm alive." In a flash, he raised his palm and struck Bando in the stomach with such force that he was thrown back into a tree, cracking the bark when he hit. "You still need more training." Alex mused softly. A maniacal laugh from the sky drew all their attention away from Bando's fallen form

"I was hoping Bando would distract you long enough for this." A younger Director Kakuzawa said with an evil smile from the troop carrier hovering above the clearing. Two soldiers were securing Lucy to a stretcher. Alex frowned. "Now that I have her, my research will be complete, and I shall become a god!" He laughed again. "Pity you need to die for my dream to be realised."

Alex's right arm turned red and black again, moving rapidly as it took the form of a black arm with three fingers and two thumbs pointing 90 degrees left and right. "That won't help a bit, Mercer!" Kakuzawa cackled again. "Not with the surprise I have in store for you…" Alex ignored his riddles, and swung his arm at the chopper. To Lucy's amazement, it extended like some kind of whip, going straight to the chopper. Kakuzawa laughed loudly again. "Kill them!" He yelled.

A large, human-like creature appeared from nowhere in front of Alex's whip-like arm, stopping it dead in its tracks. Lucy saw Keira's eyes widen. Alex slowly retracted the whip-fist, and glared at the monstrosity before him. It looked like a normal human, except without any hair. It was walking on all fours, and had sunken facial features. "That looks like a hairless ape…" Kouta said beside Lucy. "What is that thing?" Lucy only looked on, her attention staying on her fallen father, who was slowly starting to get up on all fours. _He lived…_ She thought. _He actually lived through that…_

Something in the ape-like monster was causing it's skin to glow a pink hue, as it growled at Alex and slammed it's fists into the ground. With several roars, nine more monsters appeared behind it, all growling and roaring. "You see," Kakuzawa spoke menacingly. "You're at quite a disadvantage here. There are ten of them, and only _one little you_." He laughed again. "Turns out your cancelled experiments were worth something. You knew, didn't you?" Alex just stared at him. "You knew they could be bent to one's might. You knew the power they held. So you destroyed them."

"I let them rest in peace." Alex said blankly. "Those are human beings. Those experiments are crimes against nature. Something I shouldn't even have done"

"Nature has already been corrupted by humans, Alex. Just look at yourself. And your little sidekick there. You are _all_ crimes against nature." He laughed evilly. "You still fail to see the bigger picture, Alex. Do you really think humankind will appreciate what you're doing? You think they'll look past what you are, because you stopped me from saving the planet?"

"You're aiming to destroy humanity. How is that '_saving the world'_?" Alex questioned. The monsters in front of him were getting restless. "Is this another idea you got from a film antagonist? You think you can cure one evil by being a greater one?"

"Exactly, Alex. When two forces meet, they neutralise each other. You need a _stronger_ force to cancel the other out."

"And you think you're that stronger force…" Alex answered his own question. Kakuzawa chuckled darkly.

"You'll find out soon enough." He grinned. "Even if you're the god I should have been, you still can't take ten full grown Hunters by yourself quickly enough to catch up." One of the beasts lunged at him, but at the last moment, the trees near them split apart as an armoured monster lunged at the Hunter, catching it around the neck, and snapping it with ease. "_Down to nine._" The beast growled. "_Who said he'd fight alone, dickwad?_" The monster growled at Kakuzawa.

"Steele…" Kakuzawa hissed. "You _are_ alive…"

"Don't forget us!"

As if rehearsed, every member of Alex's party filled into the clearing. Dana took her place by Alex's side, her hand on the hilt of her blade. Anne and Seager were standing behind John. Seager was spooling the chain gun, and Anne was aiming at the hunters with her black and white gun. Keira stood beside Dana. Four daggers floated around her, and her two blades were already in her hands.

"The odds are quite fair now." Dana smirked. "Six on nine is something we can handle."

"Damn you…" Kakuzawa hissed again. "Luckily, I came prepared." With those words, a gigantic winged monster appeared above the chopper. It had the same torso as the Hunters on the ground, but this one had four arms, a pair similar to the Hunters', and another pair ending in three long, clawed fingers. It's legs were substituted for a long, writhing appendage, similar to a snake's tail, and its head was different. Instead of the normal Hunter's head, this one had three, narrow slits for eyes, each shining bright green, and several crest-like spikes protruded from the back of its skull. Lastly, its jaw jutted outward, exposing two rows of sharp teeth.

"What the fuck is that?" Dana cried, losing composure for a few seconds before steadying herself again.

"Behold, dear humans," Kakuzawa cried with glee. "The Aviator Hunter! This is what comes from the work you did, Doctor Mercer. This thing of beauty could've been yours!"

"Gross…" Keira quipped beside Dana. "That thing isn't beauty. It's damn ugly."

"Shut up, you rodent!" Kakuzawa fumed. "This is a new genesis you're insulting!"

"New genesis?" Keira pondered aloud. "I thought you said something about a 'thing'"

"This really isn't the time for jokes…" Anne sighed, raising her gun again. "We're surrounded, in case you've forgotten."

"Not for long." Keira said happily. "We've got Seager with us. And Seager is Awesome. _In case you've forgotten._" She said cheekily.

"ENOUGH!" Kakuzawa bellowed. "I'll teach you all what happens when you get in my way! KILL THEM!"

The hunters slowly surrounded the group, three moving in around Anne and Seager. "Well, this is shit." Seager said flatly. "Two guns for three of Kakuzawa's bastard kids."

"I remember a similar situation." Anne said casually.

"Peru?" Seager asked confidently.

"Peru." She answered. Seager smiled, and lunged at the Hunter nearest to him, golden tribal tattoos glowing brightly all over his arms, torso and face, and rammed the chain gun into its gut while Anne jumped over its hunched form, firing three shots at its back. The Hunter fell, dead.

"Two left!" Seager victoriously cried. "Come on, you ugly fuckers!" He challenged as the remaining two hunters charged at them.

Lucy turned her attention to Dana and Keira, and was shocked to see two already dead Hunters at their feet, as two more tried to strike them without luck. John was beating one Hunter's face in, and Alex was attacking the remaining two. Lucy gasped when she saw how he looked now. Black shards of armour covered his entire body covering his face in some sort of helm. Kakuzawa visibly seethed when four black tendrils came from Alex's body and pierced the Hunter's head, enveloping it in the red and black mass. When it disappeared, the Hunter was deathly white as it's lifeless body fell to the ground. Kakuzawa turned to the Aviator Hunter. "Kill that thing!" He pointed at Alex. The Aviator happily complied, swooping down in Alex's direction.

"Bro!" Dana yelled, calling Alex's attention. "Look out!" She pointed at the flying beast, gaining speed by the second. Alex nodded, turned to the beast, and kneeled as his arms turned black and red again. He dropped one of his fists onto the ground, cracking it. The Aviator roared again, and gunned directly for Alex.

Lucy flinched as she watched the beast rocket in Alex's direction. He seemed suicidal to her. The she saw his arms take form again, and gasped.

His normal lower arms were replaced by greyish fists the size of small boulders. He swung one bag with ease, and when the beast was in front of him, brought it around like a hook punch, striking the beast in its face with a nauseating series of cracks and snaps. The strike sent the beast flipping over him, hitting the ground and skidding to a halt. He quickly turned his attention towards the chopper, which was now a fair distance from the clearing. He grunted, and quickly finished off the other Hunter that was attacking him by crushing its head into the ground with one of his huge fists.

_They're fighting for me…_ Lucy thought, shock evident on her face. _They really did care…_

Alex quickly took off, running after the chopper, but with a mighty roar the Aviator pulled itself up and threw itself in his way, swiping at him with all four hands. "Shit!" They heard Dana scream as five more Hunters joined the fray. Seager laughed maniacally. "More to go around!" He cried happily.

Anne quickly moved next to Alex, reloading her gun. "There's a weak spot on its chest! It heart is sticking out!" She pointed to a mound of flesh protruding from the Aviator's chest, clearly visible as it swung its arms around. "I can hit it if you distract him!" she cried over the monster's roars. Alex nodded.

"Get ready." He said. Then switched his fists to the clawed hands they saw earlier, scratching the ground as the appeared. He quickly darted around the beast, dodging it's attacks so fast it seemed like he was using some kind of teleportation technique. The Aviator swung one of its clawed hands at Alex, only to miss and embed the claws in a large boulder. "Now!" He called to Anne, who quickly steadied her aim. The monster was roaring loudly, even squealing when it saw her take aim.

_**BANG!**_

One shot to the protruding heart, and the beast roared so loud the ground quaked, puling it's arm back so fast, with so much power, that the claws snapped off and remained stuck in the rock. The Aviator fell onto its chest, the mound retracting quickly, while some sort of sickly green liquid seeped from the wound.

"Alex!" Keira cried. "It's back! Look at its back!" She pointed at what looked like a stitch running down the area between its wings, which was slowly pulling open to reveal some sort of worm-like like appendage. With a splash of the green liquid flying in all directions, the appendage broke from the beast's back, squirming and writhing like a creature being burned. Alex quickly made use of the opportunity, and jumped up on the Aviator's back, impaling the insect-like parasite with his claws. The Aviator roared in pain, rearing and arching it's back as Alex continued to assault the insect. The mound where it's heart was appeared again.

Then Lucy's jaw dropped, and Kouta gasped. Nathan Riggs was charging at the monster, knife in one hand, grenade in the other, with Anne waiting with her gun aimed. With a vicious battle cry, Nathan drove the blade into the Aviator's heart, making it roar again, Alex quickly drove his claws into the beast's shoulders, pulling it back so it's couldn't hide the heart. Nathan continued his assault on the mound of flesh, slashing and impaling it every chance he got. After a while, the mound burst, spraying the green liquid everywhere, exposing a gaping hole in its chest, revealing a beating heart. With one last battle cry, Nathan pulled the fist with the grenade back and threw a straight punch right at the hole. The impact made a sickening squelching sound, and more green liquid spilled from it. The beast reared back as Nathan pulled his fist out, leaving the grenade lodged near its heart. Alex quickly hopped off and jumped back, replacing his clawed hands with a nine-foot long blade on his right arm, similar to what Lucy saw earlier. He knelt down again, and charged at the beast, so fast he distorted the air around him as he drove the blade through the Aviator's lower back, making it arch backwards, leaving the grenade visible.

"Now!" Nathan heaved at Anne, falling onto his back in the process. Anne closed one eye, raised her gun again, and aimed.

_**BANG!**_

_**BOOM!**_

The grenade exploded the minute the bullet made impact with it, causing the beast's chest to erupt in a rain of green liquid and deformed organs. With a last, raspy roar, the Aviator's body slammed into the ground, exhaling its last breath as it did so. The team cheered at Alex and Nathan's victory as the remaining Hunters yelped and ran back into the forest.

"You okay?" Alex asked Nathan as he knelt beside him, Dana and Keira hot on his heels.

"Heh. They need more than a fifty cal to take me out…" Nathan grunted with a cheeky smile.

"Alex!" A voice over his drew their attention. "Alex! This is Harold Eichmann! Listen, you need to get off that island _immediately_! Satellites are tracking a tactical nuclear missile heading towards it! It will strike in seven minutes!" Alex frowned.

"A nuke? How desperate are they?" Nathan heaved as Alex helped him up, sling one of his arms over his shoulders, the armour disappearing as he did so.

"Are you near the island, Harold?" Alex asked into his radio. "Can you pick the team up in front of the greenhouses?"

"Nicht, we will not make it out of the bomb's radius at that point. I will be there in 5 minutes, wait for extraction at the Southern docks."

"Well, you heard him." Alex told Keira. "Take him to the Southern docks and wait there for Harold to extract you. I'm going after Kaede."

"What? What about you?" Keira asked, horrified by Alex's order. "You'll die!"

"Listen to the girl, my friend." Harold's voice came over the radio. "I know they took Kaede again. A military bomber took off from the runway a few minutes ago, but the airstrip's about 3 miles from you, at the barracks. No matter how fast you run, you will not catch them." Nathan remained silent upon hearing this, losing the little colour he had left in his face. Alex looked down.

"We need to move." Nathan finally spoke. "We're wasting time."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked.

"All of us will die if that bomb hits." Nathan said. His voice was lacking emotion, and he was shaking badly.

"Let's go then." Alex said. "We'll meet up with the rest at the greenhouses, and move to the Southern docks from there."

* * *

The scene became black again. Lucy had stopped crying, but she was still shaking. "He lived." Lucy stated in disbelief. "He actually lived." Her tone was a bit happier now. Alex sighed around them again. **"Prepare yourself, Lucy."** He said sadly.

"What?" she questioned. "Prepare for what?"

The scene became visible again, and Lucy saw Alex's group hurrying through some kind of warehouse district. Nathan grunted as he supported himself on one of the boxes, coughing up blood. Lucy shivered when she saw this. What shocked her more, was the fact the Nathan was crying. "Alex…" He called his friend to his side. When Alex was beside him, he stuck his hand into his jacket and pulled out a small envelope.

"What's that?" Alex questioned.

"I… anticipated this…" Nathan panted. "Thought they'd try… shit like this." He grunted and handed the letter to Alex. "As much… As I want to deny it, I know… You won't find her easily now. Not after this." Loud voices and barking came from the other side of the district. "I know… you need to leave. I know it won't be easy finding her like this."

"What are you getting at?" Alex questioned, as Dana and Seager walked up behind him.

"The bounty… It's gonna be fucking sky high after this…" He grunted and placed his hand on the bandage covering his wound. "Three minutes left… Alex, I want you to promise me something…"

"Anything." Alex said seriously. Nathan grunted again, and rested his back against the wall of the warehouse before sliding down into a sitting position. Alex knelt beside him.

"I'm slowing you down…" he panted. "You'll all die if I tag along…" Alex's expression graved when he realized where Nathan was going.

"I'm not leaving you behind." Alex said softly. "Not after everything you've done for me. Not after all this time."

"I really… don't care, Alex." Nathan grunted with a smile. The voices and barking became louder.

"We can't just leave you here!" Dana said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Dude, you're our bro. We're not gonna leave you for dead." Seager said sternly.

"You won't." Nathan said. "This is my choice…" He handed Alex the note, and his golden gun. "Her memory is gone… When you come back… you find her, and give her that… Promise me you'll give her that, and make sure that GenTek never bother her again…" He said, now visibly crying.

"I promise." Alex said gravely. "I swear, I'll find her. And I'll make sure she lives safely when I do." Nathan closed his eyes and smiled.

"Thanks, bro…" He said softly, then looked at Seager. "Bro, leave me your gun. I won't let myself die because of them." Seager said nothing, but hastily unclipped the large box on his back, and placed the chain gun in Nathan's lap. "Get going now… before they get here." Alex and Seager said nothing as they stood up and walked away, Alex almost dragging Dana with him. "And bro…" Nathan called after Alex. He turned around and looked at his fallen friend. "Tell her… I'm sorry… for any pain I caused her…" Alex sincerely nodded, and turned and walked away, dragging Dana, who was crying loudly, after him. The view followed the group, quickly drifting away from Nathan as Alex slung his sister over his shoulder and took off running, Seager doing the same next to him. When he reached the rest of his group, he motioned for Keira, John and Anne to follow. As the scene started to fade, Lucy and Kouta heard one last, barely audible yell from Nathan Riggs:

"_Come on, motherfuckers! COME AND MEET YOUR MAKER!"_

* * *

The scene immediately changed to the group sitting in the hull of the troop carrier, piloted by the German pilot. "Is everyone here?" Alex asked softly.

"No, everyone's not here!" Anne said loudly. "Nathan's still on the island! We left him behind!"

"He chose to stay." Alex said softly. "So we could escape." Anne looked ready to speak again, but voices over Alex's radio drew their attention.

"_Hands in the air! Drop your weapon!_" distant voices ordered, followed by a low humming sound and a chuckle from Nathan Riggs. "_Good night, fuckers…"_ They heard him say, before a deafening explosion was heard in the distance. The group looked on as 'n mushroom cloud became visible near the centre of the island, and they watched as flames consumed the island, halting about a mile from their chopper, leaving only fires and wreckage in its wake, every resident of the island incinerated by the blast.

Silence reigned after the bomb went off. Dana and Keira stood behind Alex, both crying. Alex slowly turned around, pulling his eyes off the island. He took them into an embrace, and allowed them to cry loudly into his shoulders. Keira shook as she clung to Alex's waist. John was standing at the hatch of the troop carrier, glaring at the island while the sunlight reflected off his red irises. Behind Alex and his female companions, Anne was being comforted by Seager as she too cried loudly. Seager was also crying, though he made no sound whatsoever.

Lucy was crying too. She only realised when she sniffed. _He died_, she thought. _He died so Alex could live and save me someday…_ She started crying loudly.

* * *

The scene around them vanished and they found themselves back in Alex's quarters. He was leaning back on his desk, with his arms folded. Lucy was on her knees, crying loudly. "I told you, you wouldn't believe me if I told you what happened to your parents. I had to show you, so you could understand what they felt for you." Lucy kept crying, while Kouta had his arms around her, comforting her, slowly swaying with her in his arms. "I wanted to wait till you could piece your memories together." He continued speaking. "I thought it would be too much if I showed you what happened in the past." Lucy looked up at him, and saw him fidgeting with one of his jacket's inner pockets. He pulled an envelope from it, with a small photo attached to it, and handed it to her. "This was part of the promise I made your father that day." He said sincerely. "He really regretted what they did you. He loathed himself for allowing it to happen. Most of the group resented me for leaving him behind so easily. Some still do."

Lucy gingerly extended her hand and took the envelope. She glanced at the photo on it. It showed her father, Nathan, in a Marine's outfit. His head was shaved, and he had slight stubble where his beard should be. Next to him, her mother, Akira, stood smiling, a sight she hadn't seen in Alex's memories. And between them, the Lucy she had seen in Alex's memories, stood between them, smiling widely. "I'm really sorry I had to break it to you like this." Alex said. "If there was another way, I would've used it."

"The name you called me in the memories…" Lucy said softly. "Kaede…"

"Your real name." Alex filled her in. "Your mother's decision."

Lucy remained silent for a while. _My whole life was a lie_... She thought bitterly. _Even my name…_ "Then how did I end up at the orphanage?" She asked, her voice barely audible.

"The bomber that was carrying you wasn't registered. The Japanese military sent two fighters to shoot it down, they thought it was hostile. It crashed near the cost of Kamakura. You survived, but both your horns were blown off. Civilians dragged your body out of the water and took you to a hospital. They fixed you up, but the people who had taken you there had left already."

"So they put me in the orphanage…" Lucy answered her own question.

"I only found out two months after I left." Alex said. "The bounty on my head equalled about five million US dollars. I had to leave, to keep my friends safe."

Lucy said nothing. She only glared at the small letter left for her by her father. Her head was starting to swim because of all the thoughts that flooded it.

'_It's okay, sweetie…'_

'_I'll kill you, you monsters!'_

'_What's wrong with mommy?'_

'_You need to go with Dana and Anne now. I need to go talk to your father…'_

'_Kaede…'_

'_Kaede!'_

"Grah!" Lucy yelled in pain as she gripped her own head, falling forwards as she did so, oblivious to Kouta's cry as her own memories started coming back.

"_Okay, okay! I give up!" Keira said laughing as Kaede stopped tickling her._

"_Still think I can't take you down?" Kaede asked with a wide smile._

"_Yes, because you ca-hahahaha!" Kaede cut Keira off as she started tickling her again. "This is cheating!" She yelled loudly._

_"Your father and I love you very much, Kaede." Akira told her daughter as she hugged her in the backseat of the large SUV. "Always remember that…"_

"_Wow, you're bad at this." Kaede commented loudly as her father struggled with his motorbike's broken engine. He chuckled softly._

"_Not you too…" He sighed with false disappointment. "What on earth does your mother teach you?"_

"_Stay here." Alex said as he left Kaede with Dana and Anne, as explosions went off in the background. "I need to go help your father." He said blankly as he turned and went to the battlefield._

"_Is daddy going to be okay?" Kaede asked Anne._

"_Of course." Anne smiled. "Your dad's too much of a bad-ass to lose to a few soldiers…"_

"_And it's finished." Akira smiled as she closed the book as she sat on Kaede's bed. Kaede pulled her covers up to her chin. _

"_So Cinderella married the prince and lived happily ever after?" She asked._

"_Exactly." Akira smiled. "Just like you will, someday when you meet your Prince. Now it's time to go to sleep." She said as she leaned forward and kissed on the forehead._

"_Goodnight, mommy!" Kaede chirped._

"_Ah!" Dana grunted as she nearly fell forward with Kaede hanging around her neck. "You're heavier than you look, you know…"_

"_So are you!" She pouted. "And you're old."_

_Dana laughed at this as Akira watched the scene, smiling widely. "You know, you're just like your mother…" Dana said, trying to pry Kaede's arms from her neck._

"Lucy…"

"Lucy!"

Kouta's worried calls pulled her from her train of thoughts. She grunted as she gripped her head, and saw Alex moving around his desk to get to her side as well. She grunted again, as she got up on all fours. _I need to get out of here..._ She thought wildly, struggling to breathe. In a flash, she slapped Kouta's hand away and burst through the door, startling a few soldiers as she went.

"Lucy!" Kouta called after her, to no avail.

"Christ, this is what I was afraid of…" Alex grunted as he moved to his desk again. "I'll alert the soldiers to keep their distance. She disoriented now. Confused, too. You need to go find her. A wrong move from one of my men could spell death for them. Go after her, GO!" He ordered as he grabbed his radio. Kouta didn't wait a minute longer, as he too took off down the hall, following the directions the soldiers pointed him in. In about a minute, he burst through the doors of the main entrance, scanning his surroundings for any sign of her. To his dismay, it was raining heavily.

_Nothing…_ He thought worriedly. _How could she have gotten so far…_ He glanced down, and saw a set of handprints in the ground, surrounded by cracks. _Eight?_ He wondered to himself. _I thought she only had four…_ He looked around again. Nothing. He grunted to himself. _Damn!_ He thought angrily, then started running towards one of the looming buildings. _I have to find her…_

* * *

"JOHN!" The door to the weapons room slid open as Kouta flew in, making the commando spill coffee on his shirt. He looked at Kouta sternly.

"You better give me a good reason not to kick your ass now, boy…" He growled, tossing the paper cup aside.

"It's… It's Lucy." Kouta panted, recollecting his breath. "She… Alex showed us something… His memories… and she just… Just ran off… John, I can't find her anywhere!"

John's look softened a bit. Then he grabbed his radio. "Dimitri!" He growled. "Wake up, dipshit! Get your lazy ass down here now!" A mumbled, foreign reply came from the radio, and John responded in the same language. Then he grabbed his trenchcoat and shades. "Come on, Kid. She's bound to be somewhere on the island…" He said as he headed to the door, Kouta following close behind him.

* * *

"_We'll always love you, no matter what…_"

"_Just like you'll meet your prince someday…_"

"_You're heavier than you look, you know…"_

"_You know, you're just like your mother…"_

Lucy gripped her head again as more memories flooded her head, more pain coursing through it with each one as she charged blindly into the storm. She didn't know where she was, nor did she care. She was in too much pain, and too sad to care. Images of her parents flashed through her mind at a rapid pace, as did images of Alex, Dana and their little group of fighters. As she rounded a corner, she tripped and fell forward.

"_Not you too… What on earth does your mother teach you?"_

"_Okay, okay! I give up!"_

"_Your dad's too much of a bad-ass to lose to a few soldiers…"_

Gripping her head again, she stood up, covered by mud and dirt from the ground she fell on. She winced again as more pain shot through her head, and tightened her grip, almost trying to push the pain out. It subsided a bit, and she looked up.

Right at a statue of the Hero of Blackwatch.

_**

* * *

**_

Sniff.

"This way." John instructed, as he and Kouta turned left and sprinted down the road next to one of the barracks.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Kouta worriedly asked.

"Definitely." John growled in response. "But we need to hoof it, the rain's affecting her trail."

John's radio suddenly sounded. "John, this is Aaron Hicks. I hear Lucy went AWOL?"

"Damn right she did…" John growled in a low tone. "We're looking for her now."

A sudden whirring sound to their left drew their attention. "Well, you don't have to look alone." Hicks smiled cheekily from the cockpit of the scout chopper. "I'll be your eyes in the sky. Just keep your eyes peeled down there, okay?" He said seriously as the chopper gained altitude and flew over another barrack.

_Don't you worry, Hicks, we will… _John thought darkly. _She might peel them for us if we don't…_

* * *

Lucy silently gazed at the statue of her father, as the heavy rain impacted with the cold steel, and bounced off in random directions. She saw her father as he was when her mother was still alive, his head shaved with light stubble and a victorious smile on his face.

"AHHHH!" She yelled as more pain shot through her head, as doors to more of her forgotten memories were unlocked.

"_Daddy!" She cheered as Nathan sparred with Seager, panting as he threw attack after attack at the commando, with no effect at all, each attack dodged easily. "Beat him!" She cheered from her mother's arms._

"_As you wish…" Nathan smiled, and ducked under a hook Seager threw at him, quickly responding with a few jabs to the stomach, causing him to back away slightly. "Now you're done!" Nathan victoriously cried as he aimed an uppercut at Seager's face._

"_Not just yet…" Seager said softly, tilting his head back. The uppercut missed, and Seager took the opportunity retaliate by spinning around and grabbing Nathan by the wrist, easily flipping him over his shoulder. Nathan landed with a loud __**thud**_, _remained still for a while before speaking._

"_Ah, to hell with it. This one's yours, bro…"_

"_Don't worry daddy." Kaede smiled. "You'll beat him tomorrow."_

"_I'm counting on it." Nathan said as he winked at his daughter. "As long as you're there to cheer me on…"_

Lucy grunted as she forced the memory from her head, standing up quickly and stumbling on, trying her best to prevent her memories from causing her more pain. She leaned onto the building next to her for support.

"_I already said no." Alex sternly told Keira as she clung to his arm._

"_Please?" Keira begged, wearing the infamous puppy-dog eyes. Her expression made Kaede giggle as she sat in her mother's lap._

"_Aw, come on, Alex." Anne laughed. "How can you say no to that face."_

"_Easy." Alex answered her, and turned back to Keira. "The answer's still no." Kaede laughed aloud, as did most of the group._

"_No fair!" Keira huffed as she pouted. "I wanna be strong too!"_

"No…" Lucy groaned. "Get… _out_!" She said loudly as she fell to her knees, shaking violently. "Grrr… AAAH!"

"_Uncle Alex?" Kaede asked timidly as she approached him._

"_What's wrong?" Alex smiled at her. "Is John scaring you again? Or is it Seager this time?"_

"_No, it's Keira this time." Akira said as she pointed to the bushes. "Kaede's worried about her."_

"_Well, then, let's go see what's wrong." Alex said, standing up. "Show me where she is."_

_They three of them pushed through the bushes until they reached a clearing, and saw Keira punching a tree. Most of the bark was broken off, but the wood was stained red. Keira paused for a minute, recollecting her breath and getting into a stance again, the wounds on her knuckles and fingers clearly visible. "She's imitating you." Akira said, setting Lucy down. "That's the stance you used when you fought that Genocide Angel earlier."_

"_I see…" Alex mused. "Well, she's clearly not going to take no for an answer…" He said softly as he walked into the clearing. Keira jumped when she saw him, stuttering a mess of words as she tried to cover up the scene. Kaede giggled as her face became as red as her hands. Alex sighed as he kneeled in front of her and examined her hands, making her silent. "Okay…" He sighed. "You win. "I'll teach you how to fight. But then you __**must**__ stop this." He said as he motioned to the tree. Keira's face immediately lit up as she cheered. Kaede giggled as Keira gave her a hug._

"_You hear that, Kaede? I'm gonna be strong like Alex!" She squealed._

"_Just brace yourself." Alex said, standing up. "You've got a long way to go."_

"_You're not scared already, are you?" Keira joked. "You just wait, someday I'll beat you! And Kaede will help by cheering for me!" She said as she hugged Kaede tighter. She only smiled as she answered "Yeah!"_

"Stop… STOP!" Lucy shrieked as she fell to the ground again, sobbing. "I can't take this anymore…" She muttered as she laid on the ground, crying her heart out. "No more…" Her thoughts suddenly flitted back to the images of her father. She saw him working on his bike, sparring with Seager, desperately chasing after her in the moments before her mother's death. She saw the strength and determination in his eyes in every image, even when he was beside her mother's body after she was killed. Then she heard the shot again, saw her father fall forward again with wide eyes as his blade slipped from his grip.

And with a final ear-piercing scream emanating from her lips, the last memory she needed to remember popped into her head.

* * *

"Good God…" John gasped as he and Kouta heard the scream. "That had to be on the other side of the island…" Kouta paled.

"You're on foot for now, Johnny." Hicks said over the radio. "That sounded like it came from near the southern cliffs, Landing Bay 4. I'm not risking taking this small toy into those winds. I need to find one that's a bit more stable."

"Thanks for the help anyways." John grumbled. "We'll manage from here." He quickly turned to Kouta. "Come on, Kid." He growled. "If someone doesn't find her soon… Just what the fuck did Alex show you two?"

"Memories…" Kouta panted, trying his best to keep up with John. "At least, that's what he said…"

"What memories?" John asked. "Had to be some rough shit to make her cut and run like that."

"It… These memories showed us what life was like before Lucy's father died. We saw how the mercenaries worked. We saw you, and Seager, and Dana and even Alex himself. Was that really how it was when your group was -"

"Focus on the business at hand, boy." John cut him off sharply. "We need to find your girl, before she causes an accident."

* * *

Her eyes began to water because of the pain coursing through her head, but she was no longer on the island. She no longer saw the sea in front of her, and she didn't feel the rain on her skin. Now, she saw a crowded district, full of life as people of all ages moved through the stalls. She gasped when she realised she had no control of what she did, although she could still clearly see through her own eyes. Then her eyes widened in shock.

She was walking behind Alex and Dana, both almost unrecognisable because of the differences in clothing. She unwillingly turned her head sideways, and she saw her father walking next to her, just like the one she saw in the statue moments before. Then she heard herself speak.

"_Daddy, what's going on?" She asked worriedly. "Are those people after me again?"_ Lucy gasped again, as she tried to force the memories and the pain from her head. She realised she was seeing exactly what she saw that day, so many years ago. She realised this was one of _her own_ memories. Not one of Nyuu's, nor Lucy's, but Kaede's, the girl Alex and Nathan fought so hard for. The one her parents died protecting. _The person she was._

More pain shot through her head as the memory returned. She was still looking up to her father's face. He seemed hesitant. _"We don't know." Alex said suddenly from the front of the group. "That's why we're all here."_

"_And even if they do come, they won't stand a chance." Seager said happily. "'Cuz we're Awesome, and they're not. They need ten armies to take us down!"_

"_Just shut up and keep your eyes peeled, nimrod." Anne said bluntly. "You may be awesome, but you're incredibly stupid and scatterbrained as well. The last thing we need is your lack of intelligence causing us any losses."_

_Keira laughed from Alex's side. "You got owned, Ryan!" She chirped cheekily. "By a girl, no less!" Seager frowned. _

"_That was once." He said arrogantly. "You get owned by Alex all the time…"_

"_I DO NOT!" Keira protested. "I'm just not smart enough yet…" _

"_Meaning he silences you." Seager grinned. "And that, in turn, means he owns you every time."_

Lucy found her sight wandering to her right, where John was looking extremely tense. Then she heard her father speaking to him. _"You getting a scent?" He asked warily. "Something bad?"_

"_I'm getting too many scents…" John growled. "I don't like this… We're wide open in the event of an ambush."_

"_And Alex knows that." Nathan said. "But it's either this, or we take the short way through Kamakura, and GenTek's HQ."_

"_I'd rather take my chances there." John muttered. "More assholes for me to kill."_

"_Don't you get tired of that?" Dana asked him seriously. "How many GenTek soldiers have you killed by now?"_

"_I stopped counting at 133 two years ago." John replied. "Dunno how many I've killed since then, but it's not nearly enough…" He trailed off as he watched his nails extend into claws, and back into nails again._

"_Seriously, Johnny… You need to-"_

_A loud __**bang**__ cut her off as an odd, red smoke surrounded the group, immediately sending Dana into a coughing fit. "Bloodtox!" Seager yelled. "Dammit, Al, I thought you were immune to this shit already!" Alex turned and saw his sister collapse on the ground. Lucy heard herself shriek. Alex quickly moved to Dana's side, closely followed by Keira, with a look of great worry on her face._

"_I am." Alex responded. "But she's not." He turned to Keira and Seager. "Get her out of here. You can cover us from outside the smoke." Lucy saw her father draw a combat knife and his golden pistol from his jacket's inner pockets, as Anne did the same with two black and white handguns. John almost instantly drew a stockless rifle from his trenchcoat, and took cover behind a concrete pillar. Just as they readied themselves, gunshots rang from the distance as bullets impacted with random areas around them._

"_Snipers!" She heard her father scream. "Take cover!"_

"_You heard him." Alex told Anne. "Cover Nathan and Kaede. I'll go deal with the snipers." In a flash, he disappeared. Lucy remembered her father dragging her to one of the trucks in the district. "Stay here." He strictly told her. "Keep looking around you, and if anyone comes near you, you scream as loud as you can, okay?" Lucy heard gunshots ringing from the street, as Nathan angrily glanced around. "Just stay here." He said, running off to rejoin the fight._

Then the memory of what she felt at that moment hit her, and the pain in her head subsided as emotions started overflowing inside her. She remembered every emotion she felt that day. Guilt, fear, anger and sadness. She felt her throat dry up when she remembered how she fought against her tears when her father left her behind that truck. She remembered how her heart nearly pounded through her chest when the gunshots intensified. Then she remembered the roars, and her head pulsed with pain again.

In her memory, she peeked around the truck and saw a group of muscular, human-like monsters with sunken facial features, like the Hunters she saw in Alex's memory, charging at the group, roaring at the top of their lungs. Some came from the alleyways, some burst through concrete walls and some others fell from the sky. She counted about eighteen in all, and she found herself shaking when one of the stared her father in the eyes.

She shakily pulled her head back, and turned around, closing her eyes as gunshots and roars came from the street, and rested her back against the wall. She opened her eyes, and heard a whizzing sound and yelped softly as a dart embedded itself in her chest. She felt consciousness slipping, and she started swaying as she saw two soldiers walk towards her as she fell forward, slamming down on the concrete hard enough to knock what remained of her consciousness away.

* * *

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" John roared as he kicked the heavy blast doors in front of him. It only dented slightly. "Shit!" He growled as he grabbed his radio. "Hicks!" He called into it angrily. "Inform the techs that there's a power failure in the recreational area." He turned around just as Kouta caught up to him, panting heavily. "We'll, this fucks it up…" He grumbled. "Power failure."

"Won't that…" Kouta paused for a moment, recollecting his breath. "Won't that mean we need to go around?"

"Yup." John growled, examining the steel door and the wall around it. "Normal steel…"

"That could take too long!" Kouta argued. "We might miss her if we go around!" John only smiled, cracked his knuckles and neck, and removed his shades. Kouta gulped when he saw John's irises glow. His face lost all colour when John spoke again, in the voice he heard when John had fought Jo.

"_We're not going around the place, Kid." _John growled as his nails extended into claws. His muscles started bulging and sprouting shards of solid bone, and his canines also extended into fangs as he grinned. "_We're going through it, power or no power."_

* * *

Her eyes suddenly widened as she came back to reality. She remembered _everything_. Where she was born, who her parents were, and the group she travelled with. She remembered laughing as Seager and Anne bickered, her friendship with Keira, fascination with John's monster form and her unique bond with Alex and Dana, how she saw them as family as well. She remembered the older gentleman in Alex's memories, Hawk, teaching her verses from a black book, as well as the positive meaning they held.

Suddenly, there was no more pain in her head. No more memories flashed before her. She felt only sadness and heartache, the losses she undertook in life hitting her like a concrete wall. Images of her parents, Anne and Hawk flashed through her mind at a slow, steady pace, as she hunched forwards and cried, her tears resembling the rain dripping down the sides of her face as she sat on her knees in the dirt. Now she realised. Now she was coming to terms with it. She wasn't Nyuu anymore, not childish and stupid as she was, but she wasn't the bloodthirsty, sadistic Lucy either. She remembered her own name, her _real_ name, the one her parents gave her. Kaede. The name she remembered from _her_ memories now.

In a huff, she quickly sprang to her feet and started running, tears flowing freely as she picked up speed. The faster she ran, the harder she tried to force the painful memories from her head, to no avail. Her father's image never leaved her head, always playing through her mind like a film, constantly haunting her. She quickly rounded a corner, nearly running into one of the soldiers, but she paid no attention to him, quickly breaking into a run again. _I need to get away from here…_ She thought desperately. _Away from this place… Anywhere but here!_

* * *

After about half an hour of running, Kaede finally reached her destination. The tears in her eyes were greatly obscuring her view, and she had nearly tackled a lot of Blackwatch soldier out of her way, but finally, the large, grey chopper loomed before her, casting a great shadow over her. She could see the pilots, Rudd and Johnson, sitting in the cockpit as the sounds of progressive pop music filtered from the opening at the rear of the helicopter.

With an audible sob, she quickly jumped in and sat down; covering her eyes with one hand as the pilot named Johnson dropped her magazine and scurried into the back. "You okay?" She asked as she kneeled in front of her. "You're soaked… and you look like shit…"

"Just…" Her shoulders shook as she continued to cry. "Just get me out of here…" She pleaded as gripped her head with both hands. Johnson seemed confused, but immediately went and took her seat next to Rudd as they flicked certain switches, and soon after, the rotors started up. Kaede kept trying to push the memories from her head, but she was failing miserably.

"_It's probably a good thing your dad's so stubborn." Anne told a young Kaede as she sat on her mother's lap. "It means that man would go to Hell and back for you…"_

"_So, what have you learned from this?" Victor Hawk asked as he closed the small black book and removed his glasses, making some of his combed back gray hair tumble forwards. "That you should love your fellow man like you love yourself!" Young Kaede recited excitedly. "And you should only do things to other people that you want them to do to you!" She squealed._

"_Relax, babe, it's not loaded and the chamber's empty." Nathan Riggs quickly told his wife, Akira Riggs, as Kaede regarded the golden pistol in her hands with wide eyes. "Wow…" She marvelled. "It's so shiny…"_

With a soft growl, Kaede decided to go to drastic measures as she drove the fingers of her vectors into the stumps of horn on her head. The pain that shot through her head nearly made her topple forwards as she let out a loud yelp, but it seemingly worked. The memories had stopped, at least for now. With a groan, she sat back up, breathing heavily. _How much more…_ She pleaded in her mind. _How much longer must I-_

"Hello?" A soft voice came from the back of the chopper, where the hatch was. Lucy looked up, and vaguely made Meg's form out in the rain and darkness. "I saw someone running in her, and I thought I heard crying so I…" She fell silent when her eyes fell upon Kaede. "Lucy?" She gasped at seeing the condition the older girl was in. "A-Are you okay?" She stuttered.

Kaede sighed as she slumped forwards. "I… I don't know…" She said as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "I… I just don't know anymore…"

"We're taking off in a few secs, Red." Rudd called from the cockpit. "Either get in or get off." Meg softly huffed at him before entering the rear area of the chopper, and sitting down next to Kaede. With a slight tremor, the large helicopter lurched upwards, and started moving forwards. "And we're off!" Johnson grinned. "Next stop… The most peaceful place in Kamakura!"

"And where might that be?" Rudd grunted.

"We're in the sky, nimrod." She bit back. "We'll know it when we see it. Besides…" The rest of their conversation died out in Kaede's ears as she covered her face with her hands again. She didn't know why, but for some reason she couldn't stop crying.

_Nathan uttered a hearty laugh as John tumbled onto one knee before him. "My, my… Getting a bit old, aren't we, Beastie?" John replied by looking up and Nathan paled as the afternoon sun reflected off John glowing red irises. "Oh, shit…"_

"_Put as much of your strength as possible into your vectors." Alex Mercer instructed Keira as he, Akira and a young Kaede oversaw her training. "They'll get stronger as you grow stronger, physically, mentally and spiritually." Keira nodded once, and Kaede felt a tingling sensation in her head. "Now synchronise your vectors with your arms and legs, up to an inch or two above your thigh and shoulder. Keira complied as something could be seen digging into the dirt around her feet. "Now focus on the area you want to move to. You'll need to keep that focus stern and constant, otherwise you will injure yourself." He said as he walked over to her and helped her into a stance. "At first, you'll only be able to move so fast if you're stationary. More possibilities become accessible with more skill and experience on your part." Keira nodded again twice. "Now keep your focus, and on my signal, you sprint forwards at that haystack there." He said as he pointed to a haystack about twenty metres away. "Okay… Three… Two… One… NOW!" For a moment, it seemed like Keira had disappeared, but in a blur she appeared at a spot right in front of the haystack. Just as she landed, she skidded slightly and toppled forwards, doing a cartwheel over the haystack and hitting the hard ground with her shoulder, and bounced up again._

Kaede growled as she gripped her head even harder than before. "You okay?" Meg asked as she put an arm around her shoulders, but she hardly felt it. She felt numb all over, and she was too distraught to care. "Did something happen?" She asked timidly. Another loud sob echoed off the steel walls.

"A lot h-happened…" Kaede sobbed. "S-So much… I… I just don't know how to…" Her whole body shook again as she cried loudly. Meg quickly took Kaede into a hug, and slowly started to comfort her. Kaede was quite shocked by this, and for a moment her sobs stopped. Without breaking the embrace, she turned to Meg. "W-Why?"

Meg only smiled. "I don't know much about helping people…" Meg smiled sheepishly. "But right now, you look like you could use a friend. As seeing as you were there for Jo, I reckon I'd at least try to return the favour." She smiled.

Kaede looked at her with teary eyes, and a real smile crossed her lips. "Thank you…" She sighed as she sat back. Her tears had finally stopped.

* * *

"Shit…" John growled as he and Kouta scanned landing bay five for the second time. "We've been almost everywhere on this island, she's nowhere!"

"She couldn't have left… could she?" Kouta panted as he rested against the wall.

"I dunno…" John growled. "Wait… There's a group of soldiers. We should hear whether they saw anything." He said as quickly stalked over towards them, Kouta having to jog to keep up. "Oi!" John called at the small group.

"Sir." They said as they lined up.

"At ease." John growled. "Did any of see Lucy in this hour?"

"Lucy? The pink haired Diclonius?" One of the soldiers asked. "Yeah, she and Meg left in Rudd's chopper a few minutes ago." He said. "That chick nearly ran me over…" John grinned.

"Good." He said. "Report to Dana Mercer and establish communications with that helicopter. And move your asses."

"Yes sir!" The men said loudly as they moved off.

"Relax, Kid." John said as he placed a hand on Kouta's shoulder. "She's okay. Might be a bit… different, when she gets back. You never know what Meg's capable of…" He smirked. "But, at least she's safe."

Kouta looked off across the ocean. _I hope so… I really do…_

* * *

"Sounds kinda heavy…" Meg mused as she reclined in her seat. She had just listened to Kaede's story. The older girl told her everything: her parents, how they were murdered, what she was, what happened because of her, even her real name. And it seemed that Kaede was calming down. She started crying through the story at certain intervals – her mother and father's deaths were sensitive topics – but she had at least stopped crying momentarily.

"I don't know what got into me, I just…" Kaede exhaled loudly. "I just don't know anymore…"

"Don't know about what?"

"All of this." She sighed. "It seems these people from GenTek aren't going to stop until they get me back."

"A'ight, girls!" Rudd called back. "We're approaching the coast of Kamakura!"

"Without letting anyone know…" An agitated voice sounded over the radio of the helicopter. Rudd visibly winced.

"Dana! Uh… uhm… Shit…" Rudd cursed as he couldn't make up a story to tell her.

"I'll be brief, I'll cut you some slack if you get Lucy on the radio immediately." She said over the radio. "Otherwise, I'll have Keira rip your dick off and rape the hole with one of her swords, _which she would gladly do_, if I may add..." Kaede saw Rudd visibly pale, even under his flight helmet and mask. He turned around to face her with a pleading look that made her smile slightly as she stood up.

"Hey, I'm here." She spoke as she stood between the two pilots, Meg following closely.

"Finally." Dana sighed in relief. "You okay? Your boyfriend says you took off pretty fast."

"I'm fine now." Kaede said as she glanced at Meg. "I just needed a friend…" She said, making Meg smile and throw her a thumbs-up.

"I understand Alex showed you some memories?" Dana asked. "Dammit… I told him not to…"

"It's fine, Dana." Kaede smiled. "I'm okay now."

"Great." Dana replied. "I'll let Kouta know immediately. He's so worried he even argued with John, which I really thought he lacked the balls to do…" Kaede chuckled.

"I just need some time away from there…" She said. "I'll be back before you know it." She turned and sat back down as the radio went dead, leaned back into her seat, and sighed. However, the distressed voices of her pilots made her listen closely.

"What the fuck-"

"Projectile! Bank right!" Kaede flew from her seat as the helicopter lurched to the side, and hit her head on the floor. "Incoming!" Rudd yelled. "Hold onto someth-"

_**BANG!**_

The sides of the helicopter dented inwards as something collided with the side. The chopper started careening out of control, tossing Kaede and Meg around like dolls as it spun. "BRACE FOR IMPACT!" She heard Rudd yell, just as the floor and left side of the helicopter tore open, and her world turned black as she hit the concrete.

* * *

"I told you, she's fine, Kouta." Dana smiled as Kouta sighed in relief at the top of the comms tower. "I just spoke to them over the radio and-"

"Dana!" One of the men behind the terminals called. "Rudd's chopper just went down!"

"What! Impossible!" She said as she quickly sped to where the man was seated. "Rudd's one of our best flyers, how can he be shot down!"

"He wasn't… Well, not literally shot… The projectiles, they didn't appear on radar, so they couldn't have been weapons… Pieces of debris, concrete, maybe…"

"Then we're dealing with more rogue Diclonii?" Dana asked. The man nodded solemnly. "Relay this to Cross immediately. I'll get the teams set up."

"Wha… What's going on?" Kouta asked. "Did something happen?"

"Kaede's chopper was shot down." Dana sighed. "We just let Cross know, and I'm going to prepare four teams to move in."

"Dana!" One of the operators called. "Cross wants the kid to meet him at the armoury."

"You heard the man." Dana said. "Get going, you shouldn't keep Cross waiting."

* * *

Kouta accidently got the code to the backroom wrong three times, because he was shaking so much. When he finally got it right, he pushed through the blast doors as soon as the opening could fit him. At the far end of the armoury, Cross was standing in front of a mechanical device with a makeshift surgical mask covering his face. In front of him, a knife was suspended in a glass case, with four tubes attached to its sides. "Finally." Cross said as Kouta came near. "Get over here." Kouta obliged. "I heard Kaede's chopper got shot down." Kouta nodded. "Thing is, Blackwatch operatives' first priority is sterilising the area of any hazardous biological threat. Meaning, if they can't find Kaede in that building, they'll burn it down while she's still inside."

He quickly flicked a switch and the case containing the knife filled with a bright red gas as a few flames ignited within it. "So, while they're prepping and boarding the choppers, you and John are going to take a stealth bomber and get to the warehouse where they crashed first." He said as he picked up a pistol cartridge filled with red-tipped bullets. "These are BT rounds." He said. "Extremely lethal to anything that has a form of virus in it, especially useful against beings that have part of the Blacklight virus in them. It can also penetrate vectors, and does quite an amount of damage if it hits." Kouta's face faltered. "This is where your promise to her comes in, boy."

The gas evaporated, revealing the blade with a now red blade, and Cross quickly removed it, placed it in a holster, and handed it to Kouta. Then he reached to a steel case on the table and opened it, revealing a black and silver handgun with brown leather around the handle. "This is a Samurai Edge." Cross said. "There are only a select few people in Blackwatch who may use one, because it's probably the most lethal handgun created so far. It has the handling and rate of fire of a normal G18 pistol, and has the capacity of the M92 handgun you trained with. However, this baby also has the stopping power of the Desert Eagle. So use it well. Use the BT rounds I'm giving you, and remember: Always aim for the heart. It's easier to kill them that way." Kouta stuttered for a while, but Cross silenced him. "I know you don't like this, Kid. But sometimes the only way to keep someone safe is to kill those who wish to harm them. Now get to Runway 01. John is waiting in the stealth bomber, he'll give you the parachute and armour you'll need." Kouta gulped loudly, and nodded.

"Thank you, sir." He said softly. Cross smirked.

"Go on. Your girl's waiting for her knight." Kouta smiled slightly, turned around and broke into a sprint towards the runway. _Godspeed, Kiddo._ Cross thought. _If _it_ really is back, you'll need it…_

* * *

Kaede awoke with a sharp pain in her side. Her heart was sending vibrations through her entire body, and was pounding in her ears. She felt nauseous, and couldn't move her right leg, no matter how hard she tried. Her back burned, and her head was splitting. With a grunt, she quickly glanced up and scouted her surroundings. It seemed she was in a large warehouse or factory, judging by the size of the place. The chopper lay in ruins before her, several flames decorating it and the area around it, and she fought back her emotions when she saw Rudd and Johnson burned black in the remains of the cockpit. She glanced around more, and found what she was looking for.

"Meg…" She rasped, slowly crawling over to the fallen girl. She forced herself up to her knees next to her, and quickly tried turning her over. Thankfully, Meg's injuries weren't severe. She had lots of bruises, scrapes and cuts, and her one arm was broken, but she was conscious. She groaned slightly as she sat up with Kaede's aid, and put a hand to her head. She groaned slightly.

"Wh… What happened?" She asked as she looked around, wincing at the pain in her arm.

"I don't know…" Kaede rasped. "We… We got shot down…" She quickly glanced around again. "But by what…"

"By us, of course." A voice behind them caused her to whip her head around to see four young girls, each with pink hair and two horns on their head. She glared at them and forced herself up on her feet, ignoring the numbness in her right leg.

"What do you want?" She growled.

"We want you, of course." One of the girls cooed. "Old Man said he'd stop hurting us if we brought you back." She smiled. "He said we'd be let free."

"He's lying…" Kaede rasped again. "He's playing you!"

"Shut it!" Another girl yelled as Kaede was thrown backwards by an invisible force. "He said you'd try something like this! He said you'd try to escape, and that you'd kill us all when we believed you!"

"Kaede? Who are these girls?" Meg asked as she backed away. "Why are they after you?" Meg got a reply in the form of an invisible fist colliding with her jaw, knocking her off her feet and into one of the crates.

"You stay out of this." A girl growled at her. "This is our business."

"Hello?" A call from the entrance drew all their attention as a blonde woman slowly stepped in. "I saw something crash here and… Oh God…" She gasped as she Kaede. "Are you alright?" She asked as she quickly jogged towards her.

"No… Get back!" Kaede called, a minute too late as she was also thrown against a wall.

"What the… What was that!" She shrieked hysterically.

"That was what will kill you if you get in our way." One of the girls said as the four of them edged closer to Kaede.

"But she's hurt! She needs help! She-" Kaede's eyes widened and Meg shrieked when a large hole was punched into the woman's head, and her body fell to the ground.

"Fool…" One of the girls spat at the woman's body and turned her attention back to Kaede, whose eyes were flaring with rage. She clenched her hands into fists. "Getting angry won't solve anything." The girl said. "So save your preaches of morality and mercy for someone who cares." Kaede slowly tried to stand up, but a whimper from Meg drew her attention. She slowly glanced at the girl, and saw a complete mask of terror on her now pale features. She quickly looked in the direction Meg was, and gasped as her face paled too.

The blonde woman was standing up, and glanced up at Kaede with a sunken eye socket and a red, snake-like eye, and her grin showed a row of sharp fangs as she spoke in a mix of different voices. "_Now that wasn't very nice…_" She cooed, causing the four girls to spin around in panic. She chuckled as her entire body turned into a writhing red and black mass. It grew in size and shape until it was towering several feet above the girls. Slowly, pale flesh and muscular limbs formed as the creature swayed its inhumanly large claw side to side as its monstrous head took form, complimented by its large neck muscles and wide torso. "_And all I did was try to help… You should be ashamed of yourselves…_" The creature grinned sinisterly before using its clawless hand to grasp one of the girls by their head. "_And from what I can gather, little girls like you must be punished…_" The creature laughed in a variety of voices, and with a series of cracks and a sickening squelch, the little girl's head was crushed to a pulp. The creature grinned as it tossed her body aside, and turned its attention back to the remaining three. One of the girls had a large wet spot staining the crotch area of her white pants. The other two instinctively lunged at the creature as reveral tears and rips appeared on its body. "_Yes… Yes! I love it when you fight back!"_ It roared as it swatted one of the girls away with ease grabbed hold of the other's throat. With a wicked smile, it sunk its teeth into her hear and tore her head clean off, pulling a part of her spine with it as it gobbled it down greedily. Then it turned back to the girl who it swatted away, picked her up, and with one smooth motion, bent her in half, resulting in several loud cracks before being tossed away.

It turned its attention to the youngest girl, who was still quivering in the middle of the room. "_You seem to be the youngest…_" The creature mused. "_That's good… Young ones are always so… delicious…_" It said as it picked her up by her waist, resulting in a loud whine. "_Don't worry…_" The creature grinned, revealing its bloodstained fangs. "_This will only hurt a lot!_" It growled as it sunk its fangs into her throat. Meg shrieked and Kaede recoiled in horror and disgust as pain dominated the young girl's features. With a loud, wet _rip_, the life left the girl's eyes as the monster tore her throat out, and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing and tossing the body aside while licking its fangs. It slowly turned its head to face Kaede with an evil grin on its face.

"_I've been waiting to meet you… Little Queen…"_

Kaede recoiled slightly as it hissed at her, and she skittered backwards on all fours as the creature started towards her. "_I don't see why you're running, little queen…_" The monster cooed. "_There's nowhere to run. You _will_ die tonight._" It hissed as it stopped right in front of Kaede's crouched form. She winced as she felt her back press against something solid, realising she was cornered and too weak to use her vectors. The creature grinned and picked her up with one hand, tossing her to the centre of the room. _"You know, I was rather irked at finding nothing at your old house but ruins and wreckage…"_ It hissed as it neared her. "_But now I have you cornered, and there's nothing you could – Oh?_" The creature stopped with an amused tone of voice and Kaede looked up to find Meg in front of her, both arms stretched out at her sides.

"I won't let you hurt her!" She said with a shaky voice, but she had a determined expression on her face. The creature tossed its head back and laughed as its muscles shook.

"_And who's going to stop me?_" The creature asked, bringing its face inches from hers. "_You? A normal, pathetic little human girl?_" Meg gulped at this. "_No?_" The creature asked. "_Then step aside!_" It hissed as it slammed its clawed hand to the side of her face, knocking her several feet away we she remained motionless on the ground. Kaede felt a scream escape her lips as blood spurted from Meg's mouth as she hit a concrete slab pushed up by the helicopter. "_I doubt that could've killed her…_" The creature mused. "_Either way, she'll make a nice dessert…_" Before Kaede could register it, its clawed hand slammed down on her back, knocking her onto her stomach as the air left her lungs. Just as she tried to get up, the creature bought its colossal foot down right between her shoulders with such force that the ground cracked under her form and blood shot from her mouth. "_How does your own medicine taste, little queen?_" The creature asked. "_I bet it's quite bitter…_" It mocked as it brought its foot down on her again. It was aiming for a third time when it suddenly paused. "_Oh, no, no, no… Wait just a minute… This moment need something… Something to brighten up the ambience…_" It grinned as it placed its normal hand on the floor in front of her, and the red and black mass appeared again. Kaede's eyes widened when the mass disappeared.

A small, wooden box stood before her, with a small golden plate on the lid. The words 'Lilium' were etched into it. With a demented smile, the creature tipped the box open and let the melody echo across the warehouse. "_I thought this tune would be fitting for your funeral, little queen…_" The creature hissed. It laughed when it saw the tears stream down her face. "_And it seems it's working perfectly…_" Kaede slowly closed her eyes and let her head drop to the floor again as her memories flashed through her head. She saw times when she played with Keira in a small stream, where she sat in her father's lap when they were cruising on his motorcycle and when her mother used to read her bedtime stories. She saw her new family, remembered how she tore Nana apart and how they both hugged each other with teary eyes back at the inn after she tried to apologise to her for what she had done. She remembered the few times she and Yuka had actually gotten along, and she remembered the times when she smiled at Mayu while said girl was playing with Wanta. Then she remembered Kouta… Her memories jumped back to the time they spent at the zoo when they were kids, and all the fun they had… She remembered how he told her that he loved her, and that he would fight anyone who tried to harm her. _I guess… I guess even you can't keep watch over me all the time…_ She thought as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"_Oh, don't look so glum, little queen…_" The creature told her. "_Look at the bright side: You'll be leaving this miserable world soon. No more public hate, no more GenTek, no more of those irksome voices…_" Kaede's eyes shot open and shock covered her features, and the creature saw it had struck a nerve. "_Oh, I can tell those voices bothered you the most…_" It hissed. "_I especially like how you succumbed to them when you killed the boy's family on that train..._" Its grin grew wider when it heard Kaede's gasp.

"H-How… How do you…" Kaede's voice was cut off as the creature stood behind her and picked her up by the shoulder, bringing it face to just above her shoulder. She grimaced as she felt the warm breath on her skin, and the putrid smell of blood hit her like a train. She continuously glanced ahead of her, ignoring the creature's chuckles. She couldn't turn her head to look at it, but she knew it was behind her, and the breath she felt and smelt signalled it was very close to the side of her face.

"_You wish to know how I knew of the voices… How I knew exactly what they told you, and when…_" Kaede slowly nodded her head, making the creature chuckle again, as she shook in his hands. She was on her knees, sitting with a straight back with her arms draped down her sides. "_Very well…_" The creature hissed. "_I'll grant you that, before your death…_" It said as it brought its face closer to her ear. "_The reason I know of the voice, little queen… The reason I know what it said, and did… Was simply because…_" It said with a grin, and Kaede's eyes started to widen as all her breath left her. She plunged into darkness again, and found herself sitting in a black room. However, she broke into a cold sweat when she looked up, and she found herself uttering a silent scream as her eyes widened. Before her, the same being that plagued her when she was younger stood hovering over her. It looked exactly like her, only with full horns and dark hair playing over her face. However, All Kaede's energy left her and her entire body paled as her copy looked up at her, showing sunken eye sockets, glowing red eyes and sharp fangs in her mouth as it spoke in the Creature's voice: "_Remember me… Lucy?"_ With a scream Kaede found herself back in the factory, panting and sobbing as the creature chuckled into her ear, and spoke.

"… _Those voices… They were all me!"_

* * *

A/N: Dun Dun Duuuuuuuun! Yet another cliffy! I R so Evil… Anyhow, this chapter was already pulling near the long side, and I thought I should split it from the action scene which I promise you will see next chapter.

So, the Supreme Hunter is responsible for that little b!tch that urged Kaede to kill all those people. Shocking? Predictable? Epic FAIL? Let me know what you guys thought in a review. Pretty please? I'm hungry and reviews are my food…

Thanks again for taking the time to read through this. I hope you guys enjoyed it!

Stay sic!

-Slipkn0T- out.


	8. 8 A Supreme Enemy!

A/N: Guess who's back… Back again… Okay, okay, I make that song suck. Big deal. Point is, I brought you guys another chapter… Again… Ah, screw it. Recap!

So last chapter we saw that Alex Mercer travelled with Kaede's parents. Or, they travelled with him… The answer escaped me now… Anyhow, Mercer showed Kaede his memories, and in doing so, unlocked her own, thus solving the whole 'Lucy/Nyuu' debacle. Kaede goes into shock and flees from the facility as her memories return to her, and Meg (Burst Angel) follows. The two become friends in the chopper after Meg comforts Kaede. Their chopper is then brought down by three rogue Diclonii, who are summarily killed after the Supreme Hunter gatecrashes. The Hunter knocks Meg out and informs Kaede that he was the voice she heard as a child urging her to kill people, and the voice briefly makes another appearance.

And now? Now we go on to Chapter 8 – Enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER 8  
A Supreme Enemy!**

The Hunter laughed evilly as it let Kaede fall forwards. Her arms gave way from under her and she ended up flat on her stomach, wide eyed as her entire body, matted in cold sweat, now shivered. The hunter slowly strode around her, exposing all its fangs in a wicked grin. "_Oh, how I laughed at how _easy_ it was to bend you to my will…"_ It chuckled darkly as it stopped and sat on its haunches a few feet from her. _"All starting with those ignorant little brats at the orphanage…_" Kaede's rammed her eyes shut and tried to raise her hands to block her ears, but lacked the energy to do so. _"It's not every day a potent little Diclonius girl gives me a chance to unlock her power so easily… And with so much death…_" It grinned as it stood up, and Kaede plummeted back into darkness. Two slender arms wrapped around her stomach and warm breath on her neck made her gasp as dark hair intertwined her hers.

"But really… the savagery with which you killed them…" Her darker self licked her lips. "That was what truly determined what you would be someday… But then that boy came along." Kaede winced as the figure's voice held anger, and the darkness, along with the touch, disappeared.

"_And then GenTek interferes with my plans…"_ The monster growled. "_But now it's their loss…"_ It grinned. "_Because I have you now… Granted, you have not rallied your kind yet, which means a bit more work before I can skewer humanity from this earth… However, that will come in due time… For now, I'm rather…"_ It glanced at Kaede and licked its large fangs.

_Hungry…"_

_

* * *

_

A loud click echoed through the small cargo hold as John strapped Kouta into his armour. It was a fairly basic kit, consisting of shoulder, arm and knee pads, and a rather smooth recon vest, but it still took a lot of Kouta's will to keep still.

"Scared, Kid?" John asked as he quickly tightened Kouta's vest.

"A… A little…" He gulped.

"Relax." John grinned. "Everyone nearly shits themselves on their first time in the field. It's nothing like normal military procedure." He said as he strapped a large backpack to Kouta. "Holster your gun and knife. I'm gonna see if I can't fix a rifle for you."

Kouta glanced through one of the small portholes as the waves whizzed past at a blinding speed. Then a thought hit him just as John spoke up. "No rifles, Kiddo, only MGs here. Guess you'll have to make do with your pistol. Now come here." He said as he walked over to one of the doors and punched a code in. Just as Kouta stood next to him, the door opened – in mid-flight. Kouta yelled as he grabbed hold of something to prevent himself flying out of the plane. "Check the handle on your chest." John said, grabbing Kouta by the collar and pulling him to the door. "Wait till after thirty seconds, and then pull that."

"What! What for?" Kouta didn't get a reply. Instead, John hurled him through the open door, out of the plane, laughing loudly at Kouta's shrieks before diving out himself.

* * *

Kaede gulped loudly as she crawled backwards, away from the monster that was now towering over her. "_Scared?_" It asked while licking its fangs. "_You should be. From the memories, I gather my ways are rather…_ painful." Suddenly, several gashes appeared across its body, and its one arm was severed just below the elbow. "_Oh?_"

"Y-You forgot my vectors… Freak…" Kaede huffed as she stood up. The monster only smiled, as the severed arm turned into a moving mass of red and black, and sprang towards the stump of its arm. Within seconds, its arm was good as new, and the wounds she had opened up were healed. Her eyes widened as she gasped.

"_And you forgot what I am._" The monster grinned as it took advantage of her shock, picking her up by her waist with its clawed hand and slamming her into the wall, causing droplets of blood to fly from her mouth. With a grin, it quickly let go and caught her again by her leg. "_Best hold on now…_" It grinned. "_This is going to be a bumpy ride!_" With that, it swung her round into a pile of crates, causing them to break. A loud _crash_ resonated through the room as the contents shattered, several pieces of stained glass embedding themselves in Kaede's back and arms, opening several long gashes. It then swung her over its head and let go, allowing her fly into one of the pillars, causing a loud _crack _to come from her shoulder. Just as she hit the floor, she cried out at a sharp stab of pain in her neck.

The monster faked pity as it strode over o her, bent down and pulled a shard of glass from her neck. She shuddered as she felt a waterfall of blood leak down her shoulder, onto her back and chest. "_Such a pity…_" It said softly. "_That was one of your main arteries…_" Kaede gasped as she quickly planted a hand on the wound, trying desperately to stop the blood as the creature laughed. "_Futile…_" it muttered as it picked her up by her waist again and licked its fangs. "_You're going to die anyways…_" It said as it reared its head. Kaede closed her eyes as it brought it teeth to her throat, seeing an image of Kouta in her head. _Is this the end…_ She thought. _Being eaten by some… some kind of beast?_

Just then, a sickening squelch brought silence to the warehouse, and she opened her eyes to see a long, metal pole sticking through the monster's chest. It quickly turned its head around. "You think that actually-" The rest of its sentence ended in a gurgle as some kind of liquid shot into its face, causing it to drop Kaede onto her stomach. "_Grah! You little –_" Kaede eyes widened when they fell upon her saviour.

Meg was standing of front of the monster, an empty gasoline bottle in hand. With a look of anger, she quickly reached into one pocket and flicked out a lighter. The small flame that shot up danced oddly as Kaede's vision began to swim, and she began to shake just as Meg flicked the lighter onto the monster, causing it to roar in pain and fall backwards against the wall as it's body ignited. Kaede's vision began to darken, fading into dark to light shades of grey as she lost most of the feeling in her body. A sudden hand on her wound, and another taking her other hand, slowly snapped her out of her daze and she glanced up to see Meg standing over her with a worried expression.

"Please…get up…" She said. "We… We can't stay here…" She said as she helped her to her feet, and the two started into one of the hallways, ignoring the Hunter's roars and cries.

* * *

Kouta's eyes widened as agonising roars filled the night sky, piercing the relative silence. He visibly paled, and gulped when John frowned. "W-What was t-that?" He asked fearfully. John narrowed his eyes as his irises started to glow and his nails extended into claws.

"I don't know…" He said. "But it doesn't sound good. We'll need to split up and cover the separate sides of this… Jesus, this is no warehouse, it's a fucking castle… They could be anywhere inside…"

"So who goes which way?" Kouta asked. John smirked at his comment.

"Quite eager to use that handgun, aren't we?" He grinned. "You go left and enter through the skylight. I'll go right and enter through the basement area. And Kid," He called as Kouta started around the left side of the building, making him stop and look back. "Remember what I taught you so far, and both of you will be fine." Kouta nodded with a determined face, and sped off. _Good kid…_ John thought. _Reminds me a bit of myself when Alex freed me…_ A loud thump from his right made him turn his head, and a wide grin appeared on his lips as two ape-like, pink creatures appeared from the shadows, groaning and smashing the ground with their claws as the dark alley threw shadows into their sunken eyes. "Hunters? Here?" John faked shock, as the two seemed to become more riled up as he spoke. "Wow… Who'd have thought you nutsacks knew how to follow an order…" He pondered as his body started to grow, and plates of bone spread over it, covering it like a suit of armour. "_This must mean your boss is here too… Why don't you assholes take me to him?_" He taunted with a growl, causing the hunters to bellow at him and stomp the ground on all fours. "_No?_" One of the hunters roared at him, and John sighed as he cracked his knuckles. "_Oh well… Guess I'll have to beat it out of you…_"

* * *

A loud thud resonated through the tunnel as Kaede fell from Meg's grasp, hitting the ground face first, drenching the makeshift plug on the wound on her neck and causing Meg to gasp and kneel by her side. She groaned as the young red head helped her into a sitting position, tearing another piece of cloth from her shirt to wrap around the bandage. Kaede wheezed as she breathed; her vision was swimming, and she found it hard to move her legs and arms at all. The numerous cuts around her body stung in the water running through the sewage tunnel, and the stumps where her horns should have been, seemed to send shockwaves of pain through her body with each heartbeat.

Meg winced as she raised her broken arm to keep the plug in place, and Kaede swore she could hear her sniff lightly every now and then. "W-What was that thing?" She asked, voice breaking in several areas, a voice Kaede knew all too well. She had been crying. "Y-You tore it a-apart and it j-just… rebuilt itself…"

"Kouta… He told me about it…" Kaede huffed. "That… That thing is after me… It wants to kill me…" A loud crash echoed through the tunnels, reverberating off the walls and making her grab her head in pain. Both of the girls' eyes widened as a mix of voices echoed through the tunnels a second later:

"_Run while you can, little queen! Run all you wish! You forget what I am… I know where you will go even before you do!"_ The girls winced, as the voice grew closer. "_I made you, little queen… I turned you into a merciless killer simply by wishing it to be so! Do you honestly think I was not keeping track of you then? Then what makes you think I'm not keeping track of you now!"_ Meg gasped loudly as she clamped a hand on her mouth. She then threw Kaede's arm over her shoulder and helped her up.

"W-We need t-to go…" She whispered. "Quickly!"

"_Whisper all you want, Red!" _The creature's voice echoed again, this time dangerously close. "_You are the one who I will kill first!"_ Meg gulped loudly at hearing this, but she and Kaede hobbled onwards nonetheless, as fast as their injuries would allow. "_When I find you… I will tear your limbs off, slowly and painfully, just so the little queen can hear you scream and beg for death, just to show her the fate of anyone close to her, by her hand or otherwise! I shall laugh as I tear your eyes and tongue out and swallow them whole before her! And then, once you are squirming and screaming like some street-bred imbecile, I shall tear your throat out and force it down the queen's!"_ Kaede felt Meg's quivering increase, up to the point where her shoulders were jerking violently. She quickly stopped the young girl and used her hand to turn her head to face her.

"You… You can't listen…" She heaved. "It wants this… It wants your fear… to make you lose control…" She grunted as pain shot through her neck again, but she carried on. "You… You can't lose that control now…" Meg's crying became audible, and the young girl sank to her knees. Kaede nearly tumbled, but retained her balanced as she kneeled too. "Meg…" She called softly, to no avail. "Meg!" She cried, shaking the girl by her shoulders and finally gaining her attention. "Think… Think of Jo… Jo's waiting for you… back at the island…" She said. "You can't lose control now, or you'll never see her again! You… you need to -"

_**BOOM!**_

Kaede was flung away from Meg as the wall of the sewage tunnel seemingly exploded, sending large chunks of concrete flying everywhere. Kaede landing hard on her side, and cried out as a large rock landed on her leg, resulting in a loud _crack_. Meg yelled out as she hit the side of the tunnel, as a loud thud echoed through it, followed a chuckle consisting of a mix of voices.

"_I told you, you can't run from me…_" The creature grinned, exposing its bloodstained fangs. "_Now, it's time to fulfil my little promise, Red…_" Kaede gasped loudly as it started advancing towards Meg, while said girl only screamed and curled into a foetal position, crying loudly. "_Your right arm is already broken… So let's start with that, shall we?"_ It laughed maniacally as it gripped her broken arm and jerked it upwards, placing a massive foot on her back, causing her to yelp in pain. Kaede screamed obscenities at the creature as it slowly started to pull, grinning widely as a loud _pop!_ was heard a few seconds after. She quickly tried to use her hands to pull the boulder off her leg, but failed to move her body. She had nearly no energy left, and the plug on her neck was coming loose.

She quickly perked up as a slight tapping sound echoed over Meg's screams, growing louder with each second. Craning her head around, she managed to see a silhouette in the shadows running towards them. _Why does he seem so-?_

_**SNIKT!**_

The figure leapt forwards, past the creature, opening a large, glowing red gash on its back. The creature roared and let go of Meg's arm, allowing the girl to skitter over to Kaede's side quickly as it roared in pain and tried to grip the wound on its back, which was now slightly smoking, sending a red cloud up to the ceiling. "_You imbecile…"_ The creature growled, fixing its red gaze on the figure. "_I will not tolerate this insolence anymore… I will have the queen, whether you stall me or not!"_ It cried as it brought it huge, clawed hand back and swung it at the figure.

Both girls' jaws dropped as the figure hopped onto one of the larger boulders and clean over the creatures arm as it embedded itself in the ground as the figure swiftly landed on the monster's upper arm. With a flash of red steel, another gash was opened across the monster's face, glowing red whilst puffing red clouds as the creature shrieked in agony. With a final smooth motion, the figure leapt up and raised the red blade above his head, bringing it down with both hands with a loud grunt, resulting in a large, red gash opening on its torso from the collarbone downwards. The figure then leapt back and procured and handgun, and with a flash of red from the muzzle and a loud _bang_, a bullet embedded itself into the creatures skull. The monster roared again as a loud pop could be heard, and deep, red smoke poured from the bullet hole, causing the creature to fall to the floor, writhing in agony.

Kaede and Meg were awestruck at the performance, and gulped slightly as the figure turned around to face, revealing-

"…Kouta?" Kaede asked as shock dominated her face. Standing there, clad in black armour, a red blade in one hand and a black and white handgun in the other, was Kouta, panting slightly, with a look of relief on his face. He quickly holstered his weapons as he rushed over to her side, and promptly assisted Meg in rolling the boulder off her leg.

"Are you okay? What happened to you?" He asked worriedly as he cupped her cheek and checked her wounds. "We… We need to get out of here…" Kaede only nodded, still slightly shocked. He quickly looked over to Meg, observing the young girl's injuries as well. "Can you walk?" She nodded. "Good… Let's go." He said, scooping his arms under Kaede's shoulders and legs as he picked her up.

"_No… NO!" _The creature cried as he and Meg started running past him, ignoring his roars. "_You will not escape! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!"_ It roared as the three disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

Outside, on top of one of the skyscrapers, Alex Mercer smirked at Kouta's skill while Dana sat hunched on one knee next to him, looking down at the large factory. "So that thing is really back?" She asked.

"Is that why you had me pulled back?" John asked from behind the two. "'Cuz I was really looking forward to beating that Supreme one's face in…"

"I thought it would be interesting to see how far the boy has come under your training." Alex said with a smirk. "For someone with hardly a day's training, he's _is _rather good…"

"But it still won't help him?" Dana asked with a sigh.

"No." Alex answered. "The Supreme Hunter is an entity that knows no bounds. It will use up all its strength to get to Kaede now…" He turned to face his two comrades. "Which is why you two are going to the entrance to await the MedEvac team." He said, much to Dana's disapproval. "Relax." He said before she could start. "I know what I'm doing. Besides," he cracked his neck a few times. "It's been a while since I've had some fun…"

* * *

Meg fell to her knees as they trio exited the sewers back into one of the workrooms of the factory, making Kouta stop and turn to her. "I'm s-sorry…" She whined softly. "I…I can't g-go anymore…" She cried. Kouta sighed as he set Kaede down on one of the tables, examining her wounds again. He quickly turned around and ran over to the entrance to the sewers, spinning the crank to close the door, which resulted in a loud _bang_ as metal met concrete. He quickly sprinted over to me, and helped the girl up, escorting her to the table Kaede was resting on.

"Y-You were… wonderful back there…" Kaede panted softly, weakly clutching at the prop covering the wound on her neck. "Where… Where did you…"

"John." Kouta grinned sheepishly as he placed a finger over her lips. "You should save your energy, we'll be heading out of here soon, after you two have rested a while.

"W-What was that thing!" Meg asked hysterically. "Even K-Kaede's arms d-did _nothing_ to it!"

"That thing is called the Supreme Hunter." Kouta frowned. "I don't know much about it, though. The only thing I _do_ know is that it's one of Alex's long time rivals." He said as he turned back to Kaede. "I saw the chopper." He said sadly, darkening the mood. "I've already let John know that Rudd and Johnson are… are…" He trailed off, glancing to the side.

Kaede slowly mustered her energy and sat up, ignoring the pain shooting her body. "W-We can't stay here…" She groaned. "That… Thing can sense me… It knows where I am…"

"Hush now." Kouta said softly as he hoisted her up, bridal style. "I know it's coming. That's why we need to get out of here as soon as possible." He looked at Meg. "Can you walk now?" He asked the young girl, who only replied with a whimper and a nod. "Good." He looked at the many passageways. "Then let's go."

* * *

"Oh, what's that?" Keira asked curiously, craning her eyes down to the counter of the weapons room's little kiosk. Dimitri, the old, Russian man, quickly glanced down, muttering something, a fatal mistake on his part.

With unrealisable speed, her hand shot through the opening and closed around Dimitri's long, grey beard, yanking him forward, causing his face to impact with the white fencing around it. It cut into his skin, making the old man yelp as Keira smirked evilly.

"Now listen here, and listen well." She grinned. "_You_ are going to open the blast doors to the special room where Alex hid my swords and my other gear _immediately_ while _I_ suit up and convince someone to take me to Kamakura. Got it?"

"Fuck you!" The Russian man spat. "Don't think you fucking scare me because of you sick crush on doctor." He growled through bloody lips. "I have Cross kick you ass!" Keira feigned disappointment.

"Ah, well…" She frowned playfully, before her lips curled into a sinister grin as she pulled a serrated kitchen knife from her jacket, making the Russian's eyes widen. "Good thing this little room is soundproofed…"

* * *

"This stinks." Dana muttered, twirling her sword in her fingers. "This is the first time in ten years I get to use my odachi, and Alex puts me on graveyard shift. This is going nowhere!"

"Will you shut up?" John growled from beside her. "You givin' me a headache…"

"Why, what a ray of sunshine you are today." Dana snidely commented. "Honestly, one would think after you and Jo became friends -"

"We're not." John cut her off with growl. "Don't ever say that again…"

"Or you'll what?" Dana smirked, flicking the handle of her sword forwards with her thumb, exposing a few centimetres of brilliant steel. "Gonna go all armoured ape on me?" John frowned. "I'd like to see you try, actually." She went on. "I may not share _all_ of Alex's little gift, but the speed and pure brawn are quite handy." She glanced at John again. "Y'know… I think I know why you didn't kill Jo that day…" John glared daggers at her.

"Oh really?" He grunted. "Don't switch channels, this should be interesting…"

"No, hear me out…" Dana smirked. "Tell me about your wife again." She said. "Tell me about Melissa again. What was the one thing that drew you to her?"

"Her stubborn will." John spat. "Not that it concerns you, bitch."

"You wound me with your cruel, cruel words…" Dana feigned offence. "And here I was just having a friendly chat…" _This woman has spent far too much time around Lex…_ John thought bitterly. _All his deception is rubbing off on her… Ah, well. At least she's not as bad as Keira…_ "A strong will, and stubbornness, you say?" John grunted in affirmation as Dana started pacing around him.

"You know…" She started. "Let's think about Jo for a while. What does she do whenever Meg gets kidnapped?"

"She goes after her." He grunted. "Like a fly to shit."

"And she does everything in her power to get her back, even if she also gets shot to bits in the process?" John nodded as Dana stopped behind him and leaned over his shoulder, close to his ear. "That sounds a _lot_ like a strong will…" John eyes widened under his shades when he realised where this was going, quickly spinning around. His bare fist broke through the small concrete wall with ease, as Dana had vanished, reappearing a few feet behind him. "I may not be a fast as bro…" She grinned. "But I can still hold my own…"

"That so…" John growled, casting his shades aside and glaring at her with glowing red irises. "I'd like to see you prove that…" Dana smirked.

"Gonna attack me because you're falling for your rival now?" She suppressed a chuckle when she saw John's nerves tense. "Dammit, man… She's hardly eighteen… Don't tell me you're a paedophile now too?" She grinned as John shot forwards, snarling like an animal.

"ENOUGH!" He bellowed, lashing at her with his one fist. With a bored expression, Dana parried the blow with her sword's scabbard, and quickly smacked him through the face with its hilt before seemingly sliding backwards, not moving one bit. John sullenly licked the blood dripping from the side of his mouth. "You're going to pay for that…" He growled as his muscles started convulsing, canines extending past his lip.

Dana smirked and drew her sword, holding in vertically in front of her, with the scabbard diagonally behind her. "I'm not an Iaido master for nothing, Beastie…" She grinned as the hulking monster stood before her. "But if you really want some of me, Johnny-boy…" She smirked as she whipped her sword diagonally, heavily distorting the air where it travelled. "Then come get some!"

* * *

Kouta sighed as they passed through yet another doorway, finding no way to exit the facility. He grunted as they found themselves in a large, octagonal room with bits and pieces strewn all over the floor. He slowly stalked to the table nearest to them, which was packed against the far wall, and set Kaede down upon it, adjusting the makeshift prop Meg had placed over it. She was slipping in and out of consciousness, mumbling under her breath and twitching now and then. He slowly, tenderly cupped her cheek before turning to Meg. "Can you watch her for a sec? I need to contact John." She nodded sombrely and turned to Kaede, quickly adjusting and tightening the makeshift bandages as Kouta strode to the middle of the room, picking up his radio.

"John? You there?" He asked. "We need some help here, we're kind-"

_**BOOM!**_

The floor before him exploded, knocking him back and making Meg scream, and hideous mixed laughter erupted from the hole as the Supreme Hunter quickly towered out of it. "_You have skill, little boy…_" It glared at him as it licked its fangs. "_Steele taught you well, those were his moves you used…_" Kouta grimaced as he drew his knife, and the Hunter laughed as it raised its giant claw while it was enveloped in a writhing, black mass. "_But he didn't teach you everything… Now it's my turn to train you…._"

With a monstrous roar that shoo the building, it smashed its claw into the ground. Several foot long spikes erupted from the ground, sinking back in as the newer one started travelling in Kouta's direction. _I doubt I want to know what that is!_ Kouta groaned as he ducked out of the way instinctively, something John had beat into him during training. To his amazement, several black spikes shot out from the area where he stood, towering high into the air. He slowly glanced back, to find the Hunter's face inches from his. "_Lesson one, boy!_" It cried as it rammed its colossal claw into his chin in an uppercut. "_Never take your eyes off your enemy…_"

He crashed into one of the steel girders suspended above them with a loud _clang_, and fell back down to the earth. The Hunter grinned. "_Lesson two! Always stay focused!_" It laughed as it slammed a straight into the falling boy's stomach, sending him flying onto the wall. "_And lesson three…_" It mumbled as it stalked over to Kouta's fallen form, kicking his gun out of the way. "_Never underestimate your opponents._" It slowly raised it claw, seeming to savour the moment of killing the boy.

A loud yelp called Kaede from her slumber. She struggled, but eventually raised her head enough to see where Meg was glancing. The horrified expression on her face made her pale, and she gasped loudly when she saw Kouta's hunched form against the wall, as the Hunter readied itself to deliver the final strike. _No!_ She cried as it brought down its claw, and just as her eyes met Kouta's, the world seemed to slow. All the sound was drown out as tears started streaming from her eyes. She was about to lose him, to some otherworldly monster that wanted to eat her. _No… No…_ She chanted in her head as she clenched her eyes closed. _Don't let this happen…_

A loud _**crash!**_ reverberated through the building as the wall behind Kouta spilt apart. A giant, sharp tendril shot from the dust at blinding speed and impaled the Hunter, making it roar in pain as it was driven back into the opposite wall, collapsing it with his weight. Kouta fearfully looked around into the cloud of dust. "Good work…" A familiar, cold voice echoed through the room as Alex Mercer stepped from the cloud. "You did wonderfully, Kouta." He said, walking past the boy. "I'll take it from here." He glanced at one of the doors. "Through that door, fifth door on the right. Wait there for the MedEvac team." He smirked as he looked back at the pile of rubble, which started to rumble.

"But…" He gaped, amazed at what the doctor just did. "W-What about…"

"Kaede needs you more than I do." He said, beckoning to said girl, who wore a mask of disbelief, relief and amazement on her deathly pale face. "She hasn't got much time. She'll die if you don't get her out of here." A loud roar shook the foundations of the building as the pile of rubble exploded. With an angry snarl, the Hunter stood upright as its eyes fell on Alex. It face contorted into a tangled mess of rage, hatred and vengeance.

"_Mercer…_" It spat.

"Go on." Alex nodded to Kouta before turning to the Hunter. "I'll take care of this…_ abomination._"

"_Bold words…_" The Hunter said as it started to circle Alex. "_Brother._" Kouta's eyes widened and he froze. "_Or is it father in this case?_" It grinned at Alex. "_I forget._"

"You're nothing of mine." Alex said coldly as Kouta dashed over to the table where Kaede was seated. She was still shocked, eyes glued on Alex and the Hunter. He softly shook her by the shoulder, making her crane her head slowly to face him, with a blank look on her face. It looked like she was going to lose consciousness again.

A loud, almost ear-shattering _bang!_ filled their ears, and the three of them looked around to see the Hunter's lower back explode as Alex's fist impacted its stomach, propelling it high into the air until it collided with another suspended girder, bending it heavily on impact. The air around Alex's body was distorted, as he got into another stance and launched a lightning-quick snapkick at the Hunter, catching it straight in the face and sending it back into the heap of rubble it created earlier. "You're still too weak…" He mused with another smirk. "Just as weak as you were back then… Just as weak as you were each time."

"_Don't… You… DARE call me weak!_" The hunter bellowed as it leapt to its feet, growling angrily. "_Just because you are stronger than the rest gives you no right to contradict the rest of your kin!"_

"What kin? Dana?" Alex said blankly. "I never contradict her. Neither do I contradict Keira."

"_I mean the rest spawned from this virus, fool!_" The Hunter bellowed. "_The same virus spawned us, Mercer, for one goal: Domination. The extermination of the human race!_"

"That was never our goal." Alex said softly. "That was another one of the fairytales Kakuzawa spun for his subjects." He frowned. "It's not a goal. It's one foolish man's will."

"_LIES!_" The Hunter bellowed. "_All lies!_" It leapt at Alex, rearing its fangs, but the air distorted again and its target reappeared above it, driving a powerful kick into the back of its head. The floor crumbled under the impact as the Hunter hit the ground.

"Get going." Alex told Kouta, who was still struggling to take his actions in. "I'll tell you more back at the facility." He said as he turned back to the Hunter. Several chunks of debris fell from its body as it stood up. Kouta quickly turned back just in time to see Kaede's eyes snap shut again. He quickly turned to Meg as he scooped Kaede up in his arms again. "Meg." He called to her, causing her to jump slightly. "Let's go."

* * *

"Aw… Such a shame." Dana faked disappointment as she sat on John's fallen form. "I was hoping for more of a challenge, Beastie."

"I'd last longer if you weren't such a pussy…" John growled. "Jumping back and forth like a monkey on crack…"

"That's right, you live your dream, little boy." She chuckled.

"I'm not your boy!" He snarled.

"Though it may not look like it…" Dana chuckled again. "I'm at least twenty years your elder. You'll _always_ be a 'little boy' to me."

"Ah, shut it, you crazy old bat." John snapped, earning him a nick on the shoulder from her blade.

"Now that wasn't very nice…" She pouted. "I already kicked your ass; you want me to tan your hide with my blade too?" She smirked.

"Looks like I missed out on some fun." Dana glanced up and smiled as Keira stepped out of the shadows, followed closely by the MedEvac team. "Why didn't you save any for me?"

"Johnny-boy was too weak to hold out." She smirked. "But Kaede's waiting inside and Alex is dealing with the Supreme Hunter. Johnny-boy also told me that there are hunters on the premises…" She gave a wry smirk. "Nice things for you to cut." Excitement crossed Keira's features. "Off you go." Dana smiled. "Have fun."

* * *

With another roar, the Supreme Hunter was tossed into the wall like a ragdoll. Alex left his fighting stance, opting to cross his arms over his chest and cast a bored glare at it. "Why do you keep fighting?" He asked with his cold voice. "Even after I tell you the director was lying, you still keep carrying on with his goal." The Hunter chuckled darkly.

"_You still haven't found out, brother?_" It asked. "_After all this time, all the rogue Diclonii you took in who show the same problems, over and over again… You wish to tell me you still have not found out?_" It spat, black mesh of liquid flying from its mouth. "_You did not once think how each of them suffered the same set of voices that plagued your darling Keira?_" It grinned when it saw Alex's expression darken. "_Now that was a feisty one… What a tre-_" A fist collided with its face, causing its fangs to break and fly in different directions as it crashed clean through the wall.

"I told you what would happen if you speak ill of the ones I care about." Alex said, lowering his fist and allowing the distortion in the air around him to dissipate. "Clearly, you didn't learn in Detroit."

"_Still as ignorant as ever…_" The Hunter mumbled again. "_Whatever happened to you, brother? Whatever happened to your lateral thoughts, your 'plans within plans', as the late Kakuzawa called them? Have your family and friends really dulled your thoughts so much?_" It grinned. "_You know, it is actually quite ironic…_"

"What is?" Alex asked, crossing his arms again.

"_You promised Riggs you'd protect his daughter._" It laughed. "_You swore you'd protect her against anything that threatens her._" It glared at him with an animalistic grin. "_You've failed._" It laughed again. "_Think about it, brother: How will you protect her from her own mind?_"

"I'll find a way." Alex said, letting his arms fall to his side again.

"_And I will give you that way, brother. Just to see whether you can defeat me there too…_" It laughed again when it saw Alex's confused look. "_I'll tell you the same thing I told the queen, Mercer. Those voices the Diclonii complain about, the voices your dear Keira heard, the voices that drove Anne out of her mind, and especially the voices that turned the dear, sweet Kaede into such a malevolent, monstrous, cold-blooded killer… They were all ME!_" It cried as it leapt at him, claw at the ready to strike.

Alex disappeared again, and before the Hunter could register that he reappeared in front of him, another snapkick launched him into the air, bending two more of the steel girders. However, this time, Alex met it halfway up, delivering a crushing uppercut to its jaw, launching it straight through the roof. His knee pounded into its back, causing it to roar in pain as it was propelled even higher, followed by an elbow to its ribs and another uppercut. With a cold gleam in his eyes, Alex brought both his hands over his head and executed a devastating axe punch, blasting the Hunter back down to the ground with a loud _crash!_ as the concrete floor shattered under its weight. Alex then flipped once, crossed his arms in front of his face, and with a burst of black and red mass, flew downward at an ungodly speed. The Hunter's eyes widened. _The bulletdive drop! NO!_

A large could of red and black kicked up where Alex hit the floor, sending chunks of concrete and debris flying in all directions and kicking up a storm of dust as the entire building went silent.

* * *

"Looks like Lex is having fun." John growled as he watched the ordeal from the ground. "I think that's a new height record for his uppercut combo."

"Yeah…" Dana sighed. "And the only fun I have is pussy who couldn't last five minutes against me."

"Well…" John growled with a grin as his body started convulsing again. "I'm all for two outta three…"

"That so?" Dana grinned, gripping the hilt of her sword with a wide grin, getting into another stance. "Then come hither, Johnny-boy!"

* * *

Kouta nearly lost balance as the building quaked from Alex's fight. Kouta's eyes widened slightly as he glanced back. _Just how strong is he!_ Kaede groaned from his side, causing him to turn back to her and place his hand over hers in an attempt to relax her.

"Dammit!" Meg cursed as she gripped her broken arm again, hissing through her teeth. "We've been waiting here for five minutes! Where the hell are they?" She glanced at the doorway, and Kouta had to agree with her. For a medical team, they sure were taking their time.

With a groan, Kaede opened her eyes again. "…Kouta…" She rasped, making him kneel beside her and grip her hand, wincing slightly at the pain that shot through his back. "Wh… Where… Where are we…?"

"We're still in the factory." He whispered to her. "Blackwatch are on their way here, just sit tight." He said as Meg stood behind him. Kaede looked up at her with a groan. "Meg…"

The young girl responded with a smile. "I'm here too. Don't worry, you just rest up."

"Th… Thank you… for helping me…" Kaede said with a slight smile. "With… without your help, I… I would've…"

"Shh, now." Meg smiled, placing a finger on Kaede's lips. "Anything for a friend."

A sudden rap on the door behind them called their attention. "We're here looking for Ms. Riggs. Anyone in there?" Kouta quickly drew his handgun.

"Identify yourselves!" He barked, reminding himself to thank John for teaching him that line later.

"Staff sergeant Jack Mason, head of MedEvac Team 32, here to heal and extract Ms. Riggs, her spouse and her friend." Kouta sighed and holstered his gun. "Come in." he said, relieved. The door slowly creaked open and six men poured in, each in military attire with latex gloves on their hands, with gas masks covering their faces. "We need you to step aside, sir. Doctor Mercer says an artery in her neck is open and that she's lost a lot of blood. Stitching that up is a tricky business." Mason said as he immediately knelt next to Kaede, starting to unpack equipment from a large case he had with him, his men following suit. One of them walked over to Meg to treat her broken arm.

Kouta watched fearfully as the restrained Kaede and pushed an injection needle into her neck, a few centimetres from the wound. With pinpoint precision, he started to stitch the wound shut. Kouta cringed when Kaede painfully moaned as the needle pierced and left her flesh, and he paled when another scientist removed what looked like a small pair of pliers from his bag, moving to Kaede's side with it. He quickly doused a small piece of gauze in disinfectant, and slowly used the small pliers to extract a shard of glass from her side, then press the disinfected piece of gauze to her wound.

Mason exhaled as he finished stitching the wound on her neck. "She's extremely lucky, kiddo." He said sincerely. "A lesser person would've been dead ages ago." Kouta slumped back onto the desk, feeling ready to cry in relief. '_Quit your whimpering! If you're gonna be strong enough to save your girl you _don't _cry!'_ John's voice thundered in his mind, making him stifle a laugh. He ran his hands down his face, seeing Kaede visibly relax as the team worked on her wounds, and within minutes, she was completely patched up. "Mike! Castle! Get the stretcher in here, pronto." Mason spoke into his radio, turning towards Meg, whose arm was now in a temporary cast, and numerous bandages decorated her body. "You okay?"

Meg nodded with a smile. "Jo's worried about you." He said, smile visible under his gas mask. "She woke up while you were out. Nearly had to call Cross to restrain her… Boy, is she gonna flip when she sees what happened to you."

"I'll tell her not to worry." She said happily, turning to Kouta. "My friend here kept me and her safe."

A loud growl from the opening of the blast doors caught their attention, and three men lumbered in, arms swaying limply at their sides. "Identify yourselves or step back!" Mason called, drawing his submachine gun and aiming at them, his men raising their rifles as well. The three men uttered lowed growls, and one stomped forward. "Oh… Good God almighty…" Mason's gun fell from his hands.

The man was deformed. His skin looked like it had been chewed off and the lower half of his right arm was nothing but a shard of bone. Several hairs protruded from his bare scalp, and pitch-dark eyes rolled in his lidless sockets. His jaw seemed to hang in shreds as blood and whitish-yellow foam dripped from the mess of muscles, arteries and flesh. And the murderous intent in his eyes told everything that needed telling.

"Shit…" Mason muttered. "Blacklight II… We're not kitted for this…" With an abnormal screech, the three men bounded forward, but just as Mason and his men raised their rifles again, several streaks of light and flashes flew past their eyes, and the three men fell to pieces. Two loud clicks from behind them caused them all to whip around, and Kouta nearly laughed when the flash of green caught his eye.

"Don't you guys just love me?" Keira asked, lazily leaning on the wall with a cocky grin. "The bill's in the mail…"

* * *

With a rasp, the Hunter flew backwards as Alex's boot caught him in the ribs. Another wall collapsed as it hit it, crying out as the debris bashed its head open. "_W…What happened to you, brother?_" It growled as it stood up. "_You… You are not the one I fought… Not even in Detroit…_" It spat another mess of writhing black liquid. "_Where… Where is ZEUS? Where is Kakuzawa's right hand, the man who struck down all his enemies?_" Its face twisted into a mask of anger again. "_Where is that excrement I fought on the Reagan! WHERE!_"

"Right in front of you." Alex said coldly. "Unlike you I didn't sit and corrode these last ten years. I jumped countless evolutionary stages, and I utilized them to their limits."

"_So… You've finally ascended… Became the god you were meant to be…_" It chuckled darkly. "_No matter. I still have my destiny, whether you stand in my way or not, brother. There is a reason I am the voice behind the Diclonius' dark deeds, Mercer, a reason far greater than even you can comprehend…_" It spat the black liquid out again.

"You broke into their collective. Their hive mind, so to speak." Alex said. "I could too if I were as heartless as you."

"_You are mistaken, Zeus…_" It chuckled. "_I am not part of their hive mind…_" It looked him straight in the eye. "_They are part of ours._" Alex's eyes widened. "_Shocking, isn't it? I felt rather dumb too when I found out. REDLIGHT, Blacklight and Blacklight II are all GenTek - or should I say your - greatest achievements. Did you really think that fool Kakuzawa could continue the work even his father failed to master? Blacklight II is one of the three foundations of the Diclonius virus, Zeus. And Kakuzawa wishes to increase its effects with the REDLIGHT virus._" It laughed, loudly and maniacally. "_Try as hard as you may, Mercer - humanity is, as you would say, fucked!_" Alex clenched his hands into fists.

"Not if I stop Kakuzawa first." He said coldly. The Hunter began to chuckle as it moved back into the shadows.

"_Everyone in this building was turned to my command via REDLIGHT. If Kakuzawa fails, I shall be the one to spread it._" It grinned. "_But that's a whole other story… Right now, Kakuzawa is our target._" It smirked maliciously. "_Race you there… Brother…_"

* * *

Another mutated human fell before Kouta's handgun in a blaze of red. The special bullets Cross gave him seemed to work better on them than Mason's gun and his men's rifles. His other arm was horizontally crossed under the one holding his gun, holding the red knife he was given. A few more flashes illuminated the room and six more fell apart, coating the walls in blood as Keira laughed maniacally.

"Do you get some sick pleasure out of this!" Mason called, dodging a swing from one of the monsters and jamming his gun down its throat, firing off seven rounds before kicking it away.

"Which one? The cutting, screaming, fighting, or all the blood?" Keira smirked evilly. "I gotta say all of 'em give me a rush…"

"Sick freak…" Mason muttered, vertically burying his machete down to one of the monster's waist.

"Hey! I'm the hottest sick freak you'll ever see, so zip it!" She cried. Kouta couldn't help but chuckle as seeing Mason's face flush under his mask. "You did good, kiddo!" Keira called over to him with a smile. "Cut that bastard supremo up real good. I think you impressed the hell outta Beastie too…"

"He's still here?" Kouta asked, dispatching two more monsters with his handgun before taking one's head clean off with his knife, paling at the arc of blood. He was starting to feel queasy…

"Of course he's still here, Alex put him and Dana on graveyard shift at the entrance. They're having a friendly spar as we speak." She called, cutting another monster in half without Kouta even registering she swung her arm. All he saw was the air around her arm blurring slightly.

"That's why he didn't show up…" He muttered to himself, shooting another monster in the head. He and Keira were left with one of Mason's men to clean up while they extracted Kaede to the entrance. "How many are left?"

"A ton." Keira replied with a sinister gleam in her eyes. "There were over a hundred workers in this mini-fort, and we've only killed about twenty. Best get your best act out, kiddo. We've got some fun waiting for us." She yelled, just as two pink, hairless monsters, which Kouta guessed to be normal Hunters, burst through the wall. "Why, hello there!" Keira called, sheathing her blades and walking over to them. "What took you guys? This bash is getting rather boring. No food, no booze, no music and we're just getting started! What the hell?" She scolded the monsters, making them stomp and roar at her. "And then the hosts are butt-ugly and hot headed as well… So much for a party…" She grinned as the two Hunters prepared to pounce. "Ah well…" She said as another murderous gleam appeared in her eyes. "Guess I'll settle for a massacre instead…"

* * *

Combat boots rhythmically thundered over the concrete floor of the landing bay as hundreds of soldiers, dressed in combat coveralls with balaclavas, nightvision goggles, tactical helmets and gas mask covering their faces, stormed towards the waiting helicopters. Captain Cross stood in front of the row of choppers, each whirring loudly as he barked orders at them. "This is a sweep and sterilise operation! Anything still breathing within that facility after Kaede Riggs and her friends exfiltrate, must be gathered and burned on sight!"

"Our recon teams will briefly sweep first while the frontline defences set the Bloodtox pumps up. Then the frontline defence and the support units will move in and scan more thoroughly for anything alive afterwards." He yelled into his radio as he boarded the Blackhawk with his own team. "Any threats near the building are to be shot on sight. You have been issued with the necessary BT rounds as well as a BT coated blade, so use them carefully!"

He glanced ahead of them as the choppers took off, whirring over the sea in a steady formation with the captain's chopper leading the charge. "Remember: The government can only keep the press away for so long. We need to pull this off in as little time as possible. You're main objective is the sterilisation of the building. Secondary objectives include rounding up any stray Diclonii still on sight, and to find and extract Melissa Johnson and Reynald Rudd, or retrieve their tags."

"Keep focused and fire in short, controlled bursts! Not only are BT rounds hard to create, they're also worth more than you and your families' lives! So don't think you can go Rambo, because you'll end up looking like an ass and getting killed instead." He glanced back in Kamakura's direction.

"ETA three minutes, people! I want this to go short, sweet, and by the books with zero casualties! Understood?"

"SIR, YES SIR!" The men responded over their radios.

"Good." Cross nodded. "Now get ready!"

* * *

"That was no fun!" Keira whined as she and Kouta exited the building. "Those Hunters were weak… And the numbers just didn't make up for it." She pouted as they walked over the tarmac, seeing John and Dana sitting near the chopper where Kaede was being secured. Alex Mercer sat next to them, leaning on the concrete wall.

"Well, you've proved me wrong, Boy." John grinned. "Seems you're not as big a pussy as I first thought." Kouta's face flushed slightly at the praise.

"That move where you jumped onto its arm was brilliance." Dana commented, thumbing her sword back and forth.

"T-Thank you." Kouta said, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't know you used a sword."

"Oh, this is the first time in ten years I've used it." She said, gripping the hilt before disappearing, popping up behind Kouta as she slowly sheathed her blade. _Wait she didn't even draw it. How -_ A loud click was heard as Dana completely sheathed her blade, and Kouta's armour neatly split into sixteen pieces, making him pale and stifle a whimper. "But as you can see, I still remember the steps to this dance very clearly." She said, sitting back down and laughing at Kouta's white face. "I might challenge you to a little spar one day, kiddo." She said with a smirk.

"Me too." Keira quipped. "If he could take the supremo down once, I really wanna get a crack at him."

"Best fear that day…" Alex spoke.

"Why?" Kouta asked with a shaky voice.

"She's a sadist." Alex, Dana and John said as one.

"Great…" Kouta cringed.

"Sir!" One of Mason's men stopped in front of Alex and saluted him.

"At ease." He said, looking at the man. "What's wrong?"

"Kaede Riggs has just regained brief consciousness, sir. She requests the boy's presence during the trip back to the facility."

"Well, you heard her." Alex turned to Kouta. "Never keep a woman waiting, Kouta. Off you go." He motioned to the helicopter with his head. "Meg's already there." Kouta gulped slightly. "Don't worry about Jo." Alex assured him. "She'll be eternally grateful that you kept Meg safe." He smiled. "Now get going." Kouta wavered for a minute, but smiled and nodded, turning on his heel and running off.

"He's a keeper, ain't he?" Dana smirked, looking at her reflection in the steel of her blade.

"Definitely." Alex said, standing up as he saw the other choppers on the horizon. "He's a fast learner, and very apt in the face of danger." He turned to John. "How long?"

"Give or take?" John grinned. "Gimme a year or two and I'll turn him into a certified badass…"

* * *

Kaede moaned in her sleep as the helicopter shook. Kouta slowly placed a hand over hers, and gave it a soft squeeze, immediately calming her down. "She went through a lot today…" He turned to Meg. "Both of you did." He smiled. "I can't thank you enough for helping her. If I think what could've happened if you weren't there…"

"Hey now, enough about what-ifs." Meg smiled. "You were both there, for me and for Jo during her fight with John. That, and you went and kept me safe today even if I was just a burden." She chuckled. "As I told Kaede here, anything for a friend." She glanced out and saw the sun rising. "You have no idea how relieved I am that this is over… Lemme tell you, there's no _way_ I'm leaving the facility without Jo now…" Kouta chuckled as he too looked at the sun rising over the sea, like a light emerging at the end of a dark tunnel they just entered and escaped from. He glanced back at Kaede's sleeping form.

_John's training helped a lot_, he thought. _Especially the moves he showed me. I never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait to get back to training. I think he said shotgun training was next…_ He glanced back at Meg. "Think things will start looking up now?"

Meg lazily gazed into the sunset. "From here?" She asked. "Definitely."

* * *

The already weak foundation of the factory rumbled under the heavy combat boots sweeping through it, scanning every room with vigor. The Special Operations division was quickly sweeping through each room, submachine guns and machine-pistols held at the ready. Each intact body scored a BT Bullet to the back of the head, and then to the lower spine, efficiently disabling its movement as each solder stampeded over the bloody floor of each room.

Second were the frontrunners, Blackwatch's soldiers. They stopped in each room, making dead sure each body was devoid of live by dousing it in gasoline as the BloodTox pumps outside combated with the airborne strains of the virus the Supreme Hunter had let loose on the unsuspecting workers of the factory. Within minutes, the entire building was flaring, spires of bright flame arching into the morning sky like sinister fingers reaching to grasp something. Captain Cross looked over his shoulder, seeing his men forcefully pull the press' cameras from their hands and shattering them on the ground.

One man was desperate enough for a scoop to actually attempt to attack an operative, which earned him a hard stock to the face. Others were thrown onto the ground and searched for wires, camcorders and anything that could give a way Blackwatch to the public. One of the women dared to turn around and run, attempting to save her precious film, but when she failed to heed the soldiers' calls, her life came to an untimely end as a rain of lead ate through her corpse.

Cross turned back as the building collapsed from the damage. "We're done here, boys." He said as he turned back to the helicopters. "The government will clean up the rest. Boots up, we're goin' home." To say he was sick of all the senseless death was an understatement, but he had long since realised that saving the earth came at a cost, a cost far greater than any amount of dollar bills could pay. Each soldier of Blackwatch, whether a rookie, sergeant or even a general, would have to give up their own humanity. _"Takes a monster to kill a monster."_ General Peter Randall always told him in Blackwatch's early years. "And then Mercer comes along…" He muttered as he climbed back into the helicopter. "And everyone suddenly sees the sense behind that statement."

_Ironic that we of this firm give up what we aim to keep safe_… He thought to himself. _Anyone else would call us terrorists, monsters with guns. But when the day comes that they need saving, they rely on us monsters to take down the other monsters, just so they can scream and gasp at our cruelty and malevolence… _He glanced at the sunset. _Ah well… I'm not going to ask myself whether it's worth it. Because I already know the answer…_

"_Humanity is sick, Robert._" Alex once told him. "_A good friend of mine told me that, before he passed on after both his corporations sunk. The peace they strive for is not a peace between nations or a peace from violence, crime and conspiracy, but a peace for themselves, so they can continue to pillage and murder and rape in peace. And with that sickness comes their desires for power and dominance, a desire that goes unkempt for their entire lives. Once they receive that power, they want more, and when they finally can't get anymore it all goes to Hell. But there are still humans one this earth that strive in the opposite direction. Honest, caring beings that would give anything to help others. And while saving all the scum on this planet may not make this job worthwhile, Robert, remember:_"

"_Saving the ones who matter - those who we know will change this hellish existence - makes all the difference in the world._"

* * *

A/N: Chapter 8 complete, baby! Aaaand? Was it cool? Awesome? Bad? Terrible? Let me know through a review! I like reviews… *drool* Reviews… Yum…

Thanks for reading, guys & girls! Enjoy your day!

Stay sic!  
-Slipkn0T- out.


	9. 9 Let the Training Begin, I

**A/N: Finally, I have enough spare time to focus on this story again. I know it took a while to update, but man must work - that is the basic principle of this world. That, and I have had other stories to focus my attention on…But fret not! As I swore to you, I have once again come forth with another chapter filled with multi-crossover goodness for you all.**

**That said, I feel I must once again remind you all that the following three chapters or so will all consist of filler material, as I try to prepare Kouta and Kaede for the inevitable face-off against the ruthless, indescribable evil that is the Supreme Hunter - Three chapters of growing, befriending and learning - all here for your leisure.**

**Now, just one last note: As this is a multicrossover, all the main material has already been covered (i.e. Elfen Lied, Prototype, Burst Angel, Gears of War, and inFamous).HOWEVER! There will still be certain cameos within this story - just thought I'd warn you.**

**Now, onwards!

* * *

**

**CHAPTER 9:  
Let the Training Begin I**

A soft, almost inaudible groan escaped her chapped lips as the intrusive golden rays filtered through the blinds, seeping through the cracks of her eyelids and haughtily plucking her from her sweet dreams while the unusually wet fabric started dabbing onto her lips, stinging slightly as the liquid filled the cracks in the dry skin. Slowly, she peeled her eyes open, squinting as the marvellous beams of light blasted into her world, colouring everything a bright shade as her dulled vision attempted to adapt to the radiance of her surrounding, desperately trying to decipher where she was, and how she had gotten there - and why she was even there to begin with.

Slowly, Kaede propped herself onto her elbows, a curious frown snaking in between the weariness and fatigue on her face as she felt the soft, almost luxuriously comfortable mattress under her body, the lavish sheets covering her robed body, and the invitingly soft pillow propped under her elbows. _Wh… Where the hell am I?_She thought wildly as the harshly bright surroundings continued to plague her vision, obscuring her sights with marvellous walls of brilliant luminescence. She blindly threw a hand next to her, recoiling slightly when she felt cruelly familiar steel, colder as any ice she had ever touched, quickly lodge itself between her numbing fingers. Her breathing hitched, and she felt her heart start to hammer wildly in her chest as a cacophony of mechanistic sounds flooded her ears, and she slowly fell back onto the mattress. _No… No, no, no, I can't be back _there…She thought wildly as her panic grew, as she was unable to see clearly. _Please, tell me I'm not back _there…_ Anywhere but _there… She struggled against the sheet, haphazardly attempting to kick it off, but found only failure when her legs refused to respond. Just then, as if by a miracle, a voice reached her ears; It was an oddly familiar voice, and it was as if she felt everything within her being calm at hearing the reassuring voice drift into the room upon the steady gust the air conditioning blew through the door.

"I told you, don't worry about her." The girl's voice spoke. "I may not be a nurse, but I still know how to work this. All my years with Jo taught me that much…" She giggled. "Relax, man. She'll be fine." Kaede smiled when the image of the young, pale-skinned girl popped up in her head, blue eyes sparkling as she smiled. _Meg_… She thought as she felt the comfort of familiarity sweep over her.

"I sho fuckin' hope so." A burly, accented voice boomed through the open doorway, sharply contrasting Meg's soft, cheery tone. "'Cuz you know what da hell happens if shit goes wrong. Anythin' happens to you or Jo or, God himself forbid, Kaede, then it's _my_ ass they fry while you get da 21-gun Salute at ya funeral. So _don't. Fuck. Up_. You scare her and she accidentally kills ya, I ain't collectin' ya body parts." Kaede could not help but chuckle at the loud voice, despite the pain it sent ricocheting through her body. _That's_ _Dwayne… That must mean… I'm back at the Blackwatch fortress…_ She smiled as she felt the mattress accept her battered, aching body into its welcoming embrace again. _I'm safe… I'm safe…_ She smiled to herself as she chanted the two words within her mind like a mantra, opening her eyes to see the hazy mist once present start to dissipate into clarity, sighing contentedly as her eyes focused on what she remembered to be the V.I.P wards. The recognition sparked an even wider smile within her as she began to chuckle softly. _I'm actually safe!_

"Oh, hey! You're awake!"

Kaede jumped slightly in shock as Meg cheerfully bounded into the room, auburn hair dancing behind her as her being radiated happiness. She felt a slight scowl cross her face, however, when she saw the white, pasty cast around the younger girl's arm. _That's right…_ She felt herself sadden at seeing the harm done to her new friend. _I… I couldn't save her…_ She thought ruefully. _I had to rely on Kouta… And Blackwatch…_

"It's good to see you're awake." Meg smiled as she hopped into the chair adjacent to Kaede's bed. "You had us all worried - you've been out like a rock for about four days now. Poor nurses actually had to force-feed you…" She seemed to shudder slightly. "Now I'm sorry I insisted on staying…" She scowled. "That was not a pretty sight… Ah, well. Guess they did what they had to do. I'm just happy you're awake again. Kouta'd be too, if he was still here…" She frowned. "Damn Beast…"

"Kouta… was here?" Kaede asked groggily as she allowed Meg to help her into a sitting position, confused about Kouta's sudden absence. "Then… Then where is he now?" She asked as she tried to dispel the remnants of sleep still etched on her face.

"Kouta stayed here so long it almost became unhealthy." Meg grinned goofily. "He'd sit up here day and night, and refused to budge until you woke up. Everyone tried to talk sense into him. Dana tried, Seager tried, Nana and Mayu tried… Yuka yelled at him… Keira threatened him with castration… Hell, even Jo… uh… _wrote_ to him. He just wouldn't listen… Alex called him something… Uh… I think it was 'zealous'. Yeah, 'zealous' about your 'imminent revival', in his words. Anyhow, nothing could move Kouta away from this bed. So…" She seemed to consider how to speak her next sentence, knitting her brow as she focused, and placing her index finger and thumb under her chin. "Let's just say Alex took rather _drastic_ actions to make Kouta come back to reality…"

This made Kaede sober up rather quickly. She knew all too well what 'drastic' could mean in this context - her years at GenTek, as Alex dubbed it, proved as much. "Wh… What kind of… 'drastic' measures?" She asked carefully, eyeing Meg warily as she felt the uncertainty form a knot in her stomach.

"Uh… Uhm… You see…" Meg forced an unconvincing laugh as she scratched the back of her head. "Uh… It's like this… Alex, y'know, he knows Kouta's very close to you, and… uh… He didn't want you waking up to a zombie, so… He took some steps to… Uh… make him… Y'know… Not-zombie when you woke up…" She shrugged innocently. "Did that make sense?"

"Not at all…" Kaede groaned as she ran the few sentences over in her mind, repressing a frown as her mind struck blank after blank because of the words Meg had said. "What kind of steps did Alex take?"

"He… Uh…" Meg finally lowered her head as she sighed in defeat, seeing no other way to dance past the subject. "Alex called John…" She groaned. "He came here… Spoke once… Then Kouta refused to listen… And… Er…" She bit her lip nervously as she paused. "Beast knocked Kouta out cold. And not in the fast, painless way you normally do. Man was merciless, I tell ya…" She scowled. "Then he dragged Kouta off to the combat halls for training, to let him blow off some steam…"

"So… Kouta's training now?" Kaede inquired as she glanced at the ceiling-mounted television, gazing at her reflection in its dark screen. Her face softened as she thought back to what happened at the factory, playing the scenes she remembered best repeatedly in head. She saw Kouta leap at the Supreme Hunter without care for his own life, risking everything by fighting it to his last breath, just to keep her safe. She remembered how aptly he had wielded the red blade he had in his possession, and recalled glimpses of him firing away at man-like, disease-ridden creatures that attacked the people who healed her. But most of all, she remembered the looks on his face in the presence of her new arch-enemy; not one of fear, or doubt, but one of determination. _Determination to save me…_ She thought in a daze. _And he did all that with John's training… _She smiled to herself. "That… That's nice to hear…" She said with a smile. "He must have been worried sick… It's… It's good to let him relax a bit…" She turned back to Meg. "Besides… It's not like John would do anything too harsh… Would he?"

"Uh… Uhm… No, no, of course not!" Meg forced a laugh as she held her hands up in front of her, shaking her head wildly as she attempted to stray from topic. Even in the hyperactive state Meg was in, however, Kaede could not help but notice the discomfort in the young girl's voice. "I mean… John's his trainer, and all… So I doubt he'd do anything _too_ harsh…" She feigned a grin. However, just as Kaede turned her head back to the large television, she could not help but her Meg's soft mumble reach her ears.

"At least… I hope not…"

* * *

_**CRASH!**_

_**CRACK!**_

"Owie! Mayu… Is an arm supposed to bend like that?"

"No, Nana, it's -"

_**POW!**_

"- Ouch! I felt that one…"

"Pick up the pace, kid!" John grinned as Kouta stumbled back, dazed after John's powerful right hook sent him reeling and smirking as he heard Nana and Mayu stress aloud for Kouta's health on the sidelines. He grunted as he used the back of his hand to wipe a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. "You already made me bleed, now show your balls and finish this fight!" He grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "Don't tell me one backhand can knock you over…" He laughed when he saw Kouta clamber to his feet, knees slightly bent as he glanced at John with a swollen eye, blood trickling freely from his nose, his mouth and a large cut on his forehead. "Atta boy…" John clapped his hands. "Now show me your skill, doggie…"

Kouta grunted as he complied, gathering the necessary knowledge of what John had taught him as he channelled it into his actions, dashing at the grinning commando whilst balling his fist, hoping to strike true. He timed his attack as perfectly as he could, waiting until he was a few feet from John before weaving into a crouched stance and tossing an uppercut at John. The commando smirked and only leaned back a tad, allowing Kouta to stumble slightly as his fist travelled past John's grinning face. "Too transparent." John chided, simply lifting his knee, slamming into Kouta's diaphragm with enough force to lift the boy off his feet and knock the wind clean out of his lungs. "You need to make your first attack quick and precise. No run-ups or pull-backs." He growled, raising his arms into a boxing stance, before delivering a flurry of powerful hooks and straights to Kouta's chest and face. "Only then can you focus on the more powerful attacks - like this one!" John grinned as pulled back his arm, clenching his fist and making his bicep bulge under the short-sleeved shirt he donned. With a low, guttural growl, he aimed the Haymaker directly between Kouta's eyes, and put so much momentum behind the attack that his arm forced his upper body to move in unison with it, searing through the hot afternoon air, coming dangerously close to Kouta's face.

He saw the boy's eyes widen as his fist travelled toward Kouta's face at a fear-instilling speed. _C'mon, boy… Dodge… Do as I taught you… Remem-_ "Ugh!" John felt his body jerk slightly as Kouta quickly, albeit clumsily, swerved his frail body to right, dodging John's Haymaker as he closed his hand around his fist, swinging it backwards before slamming his elbow into John's gut. _Atta boy…_ John grinned as he felt himself stumble back from the blow, his smirk growing seconds before the straight punch Kouta sent at him connected with his face. _Boy's getting rather quick… Let's see just how much damage he can do to me…_ John thought to himself, deliberately allowing Kouta an opening, as he stood slack for a few seconds after the boy's attack. Kouta quickly noticed the opportunity, and wasted no time in lunging at John again, left hook at the ready, the fires of his sudden, newfound ambitions glowing brightly in his eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, Kouta flung his arm at John, grunting in satisfaction as he felt his fist collide with John's bearded cheek. He quickly stood his ground again, following up with a right hook as he flung his arm at John again, striking true as his fist knocked the commando's head sideways slightly. Kouta gritted his teeth as he took one step forward before swinging another uppercut at John, closing his eyes for a brief second when he heard his trainer's teeth rattle under the impact.

_Yes!_ Kouta thought victoriously as he lowered his arms into his stance again while John stumbled back from the uppercut. _One more… One more! _He determinedly thought as he took a quick step forward to initiate his final attack. _Here we go!_ From his stance, he delivered two underhand jabs to John's gut, striking the two places the commando had taught him to gun for. He smirked when he received the desired effect, seeing John retch forward from the two strikes, thus allowing another opening. Kouta continued the combo by swinging the left half of his upper body backward, bending his arm to form the following uppercut. _Your own combo, John…_ He grit his teeth as he flung the uppercut at John's hunched figure, striking the commando dead-centre between his eyes, forcing his head upward and backwards, making his body arch backward. Kouta quickly used the momentum from the uppercut and threw a straight punch right into the pit of John's stomach, resulting in a bellowed grunt as John lurched back from the hit.

"Go Kouta! Yay! Beat him!"

"C'mon Kouta! You can beat him! GO!"

Nana and Mayu's incessant cheering quickly met his ears, and a lopsided grin split onto his face as he quickly took advantage of John's daze. He lunged forward, gritting his teeth again as threw a series of hooks at the commando in a steady, though fast-paced rhythm, hearing the satisfying sound of flesh hitting flesh with each swing. He broke his chain of hooks with a grunt, eagerly pulling his fist back and aiming yet another straight at John's face, putting a bit more power behind the attack as he retook his stance in mid-attack. Hardly a second passed after his hand struck John squarely on the nose, when he already prepared his next attack. He quickly, albeit carefully, arched his arm as he put as much power as possible behind the blow, doing his best to copy John's Haymaker up to the last detail, and with a final flash of determination, he swung.

To his surprise, however, his hand struck only the palm of John's hand. He grimaced as he felt the commando's fingers close around his fist, crushing his hand under the vice-like grip, making his legs buckle ever so slightly as the pain spread up his arm. "Nice moves, kid." John grinned at Kouta's pained face. "But you're way too eager for a finisher. I've still got a lot of life left in me." He grinned. "Quite a crucial mistake on your part… See, this counter allows me to something like _this_…"

Kouta lurched forward as John drove his knee into his stomach with enough force to lift him clean off his feet, forcing his body to arch forward as it seemingly flew back, finally hitting the concrete with a loud _crunch_. "I'm not normal, boy." John called at Kouta when he saw the boy remain on the ground, both arms clasped over his stomach as he gurgled and spat for air. "And neither are the things that are after your girl. You can't make a mistake during a fight - especially not with the Supreme Hunter. I warn you: He's not like me. He'll come at you with killing intent to rival that of a blood-crazed Diclonius, and he won't stop swinging those claws of his until your head and body are on two different places, even when you land a hit." He growled as he strode over to Kouta's form, quickly grabbing him by the collar and hoisting him to his feet. "And if you're gonna resort to lying in the dirt like a fag from only one hit, your girl has no hope…"

_**POW!**_

Kouta heard his own teeth chatter as John's fist struck him on the side of his face, a blow strong enough to leave him spinning in mid-air, before meeting the concrete face-first once again. "If you care about something, you fight for it. No stories about 'violence is wrong' or 'I'm scared'. Saying that bullshit doesn't only make you look like a pussy, but it makes you let your loved ones down as well. That attitude will only lead to your insanity once you see your girl killed in front of your eyes." He growled as he frowned on Kouta's fallen form. "You don't want her to die, do you?"

A slight silence followed the commando's question as the boy struggled to get his footing back, failing miserably as he flopped down onto the hard concrete again. "N-N-No…" The answer came as barely a whisper as Kouta gasped for air, attempting to speak through his swollen cheek. "I… I d-don't…"

"Hmph. Can't hear shit…" John said, rubbing his palm against his ear in a mocking fashion. "Must be a fly… They are drawn to sacks of shit, after all…"

"I… I said n-no…" Kouta grunted, propping himself up on his fist as he slowly, albeit surely crawled onto his knees, gritting his teeth. "I… Don't…"

"Ah, fuck this…" John muttered. "What's the use of trying to teach someone with no drive? I'm not wasting my time anymore…" He said as he turned his back.

"I said… I said NO!" Kouta suddenly bellowed at the commando, using his arms to push himself up further. "I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER DIE!" He shouted as he slowly felt the strength to push himself to his knees, remaining hunched as he spoke. "I've… I've seen the monsters that are after her… Infected and GenTek alike… I don't want to see those people hurt her. I don't want to live with the fact that they might find her and take her. I don't want to see her treated like that anymore!" He growled as stumbled onto his feet. "I… I won't allow it…" He growled.

"K-Kouta…" Mayu clasped a hand over her mouth when she saw Kouta's valorous display. "W-When did this happen to you?" She whispered. "You were never like this…"

"But it's good…" Nana nodded, an expression of pure shock and awe plastered across her face as she observed Kouta, who was determinedly staring the commando opposite him, down. "Kouta's never fought before… And it looks like he's doing good now…"

"Finally…" John muttered as he turned around, raising one hand, wrapping his fingers around the eye of his shades, before casually pulling it off and tossing it aside. He grinned when saw Kouta flinch ever so slightly when the boy's dark eyes met his red ones. "Here I thought you were giving up. Good to know your endurance can be toyed…" He smirked as he gazed at Kouta. "Now tell me, _why_ do you want to see her safe? _Why_ go through so much trouble? And don't give me that 'childhood friend' bullshit. Tell me _why_ you're going against what you set yourself to be. Tell me _why_ you're willing to shed blood to keep her safe, even when she shed your family's. _Why_?"

Much to the commando's surprise, the boy didn't even waver when he answered. His brow didn't furrow in thought, nor did his eyes dance or did his hands quiver. The boy who stood staring at him now was not the weakling he found on the bridge. This was a brand new person altogether, a fact that was proved when Kouta opened his mouth. "I love her." He said with a slight hint of pride as the words left his mouth. "I love her with all my heart. And I will do _anything_ for her."

"Atta boy…" John smiled as he took up his fighting stance. "Now keep those words up here." He said, placing two fingers on his temple. "Etch 'em into your mind and remember them every day of your life, Kid. Take hold of that knowledge now…" He said as he beckoned to Kouta with a 'Come-on' gesture.

"Take hold of it, and come and beat me."

* * *

The sounds of flesh hitting flesh echoed across the abandoned landing bay, accompanied by the indecipherable yelps and cheers of two young girls, all reaching his ears as his cold, blue eyes gazed at the training session from under his white hood. Alex Mercer smirked as he recalled the speech Kouta had just given, and watched him almost tirelessly fight his trainer, uncaring of any blood that flew off his face. _Seems your one wish came true, Nathan…_ He thought as he leaned back against the concrete wall, and gazed up at the sky. _She's found a keeper… Just as you wanted her to…_ He thought as he gazed back at Kouta. He saw the boy's determined expression as he chained one attack into the next, gritting his teeth as John ducked, weaved and dodged each blow. _That a mere boy of such a young age can stand against a bio-weapon like John… He must have an incredible will…_ Alex smirked. _Though… He'll need more than simple will to keep him alive in this little party of mine… John will have to take to training him more._

"Ahem…"

_Hmm… Seems like it's time to tell…_ He thought as he heard the intrusive voice, and slowly turned around. "Yuka…" He said when his eyes fell upon the brunette haired girl. "How may I help? I take it this has something to do with Kaede and Kouta's little bond? Or why the Diclonii are so special to this firm, and to me?"

"Everything." Yuka huffed, the door behind her swaying in the cool breeze, and granting a clear view of the many stairs she had to traverse to reach the doctor. "I want to know _what_ you are, I want to know _how_ Nana and the Dicloni got those horns, and I _especially_ want to know what hurt Ny- Kaede, like that when she went away. And I want to know why John's beating Kouta to a pulp!"

"If you look closely," Alex sighed, "you'll see that Kouta is more than a fair match for John. He's trying to become a stronger person. John's helping him with that. Why do you think he went to John in the first place? He knows what John will do to him. Leave him be." He said blankly. "As for the rest of what you want to know… That's not something I can just _tell_ you, Yuka."

"B-But… But you promised!" Yuka whined as her eyes grew. "Dammit, you can't keep me in the dark like this! I helped take care of two of them for quite a while, so you can't deny me any knowledge about them! I _need_ to know!"

Alex narrowed his eyes at her as he thought, considering every possibility, every reaction she could have when she hears - or _sees_ - the news he was about to tell her. "Fine then." He said as he strode over to her. "But I'll need two things from you first." He said as he tilted his head slightly. Yuka nodded, a determined expression plastered on her face as she furrowed her brow. "One is that you do _not_, under any circumstance, berate Kaede or Nana for what they have done or might have done in the past. I know you're a bit… _affectionate_ towards Kouta, but if he chooses to be with Kaede, then you must let it be so. You must _not_ use the knowledge I am about to give you to ruin their relations, with anyone or anything, for that matter." He said sternly. "And two, you are not to speak of it unless you are absolutely sure you are somewhere secluded."

"This… Is it _that_ serious?" Yuka asked, the determined mask on her face melting away, replaced by a disturbed, almost fearful expression. "How bad is it? Y'know, what you're going to tell me?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything, Yuka." Alex deadpanned. With a movement quicker than a flash, Yuka felt the doctor's cold hand on her forehead, and she grimaced when she saw the mass of red and black flow from the sleeve of his jacket. Just when she was about to scream, however, the doctor's cold voice reached her ears. "But just because I won't tell you… Doesn't mean I won't _show_ you…"

* * *

_What's this?_

The Supreme Hunter quickly whipped its head around as the unfamiliar presence assaulted his honed senses, making it quiver in anticipation. _What's this new presence I feel? It feels strong… Very strong… A perfect being to consume…_ It grinned. _I do not know what virus this is… Nor am I sure why I sense it…_ It grinned, eagerly licking its lips as it squatted, before pushing off the roof of the skyscraper with all its might, propelling itself high into the air as it travelled in the direction of the presence. _But I shall show it what a mistake it has made… By coming to _MY _city!

* * *

_

Robert Cross felt a shiver run up his spine as he stood in the skybox overlooking the greenhorns' training. A very odd feeling had just surfaced in his gut, and he felt his veins burn as his senses started to pick up. _Ah, goddammit… I knew I should've been left to die that day_… He irately as he ran a hand down his face in an attempt to dispel his anxiety. _Ever since Alex used that virus on me… Shit been going crazy every time a Hunter goes to town…_ He suddenly paused. A look of utter confusion spread across his face as the burning sensation in his veins died down, replaced by an odd flow-like sensation, as an unfamiliar feeling kept nagging at him from the back of his head… _Wait a minute… This is no Hunter… Even the Supreme one doesn't do this to me…_

With a soft huff, he stood from the small chair placed before the counter, his black longcoat splaying out behind him as he curtly stalked off, head lowered slightly so his brow hid his eyes in shadow. _And normally when something does something new to me, I investigate… Let's see if I'll finally have a chance to use Redlight again… A Hunter virus left to rot isn't exactly kosher, even to Lex…_ He said, turning his head up so the light fell on his eyes. Only now said eyes were different - sunken, and surrounded by a black hue as solid red eyes gazed from the depths.

_It's been a while since I 'Hunted' something… Let's hope I'm not too rusty…

* * *

_

The warm rays of the spring sun mercilessly beat down on Kamakura with such intensity that the distance turned to a shaky, watery mirage to the civilian eye. Everywhere, people were doing all they could to escape the heat, some hopping from shadow to shadow, and others 'browsing' in the colder sections of supermarkets in a bid to prepare themselves for the Saharan rays outside. Everywhere, glints of white, gray and multicolour flashed as the citizens of Kamakura futilely attempted to cool themselves with makeshift fans, whilst others bore all-white outfits, following the superstition that it helps keep cool.

However, one man stood unfazed by the heat, even whilst clad completely in black. The sun did little to the man's face, not a bead of sweat visible on his stern features, as its rays reflected off his black, carbon-print trench coat. Under its splaying folds, his diamond-patterned leather attire shone brightly, the darkness of the black hue almost in harmony with the bright rays, greatly accentuating the knee-length boots and the black leather gloves he wore. Several glints shone from atop the skyscraper he stood upon as the sun bounded off the dark hue of his sunglasses, rendering them a solid black colour as it lit every little detail on his blonde hair, neatly combed back as to keep it out of his vision.

His face contorted into a slight frown as his eyes fell upon a scene below. Even though the distance was great, he still saw the weak woman dragged into the alley, knocked unconscious as the thug grabbed her purse and ran. _Filthy humans… Even after news of the Africa incident last year, they still never cease to make me frown upon their unworthy existence…_ He turned his gaze upward and scanned Kamakura under his shades. _But there might be those who are worthy… I have heard much of these 'Diclonius'. I have heard of their tendencies, of their prowess, and of their 'vectors'. Invisible arms that can cut through almost anything… What a blessing…_ His face suddenly turned into a vicious sneer. _I must have it… Then I can finally repay _him_… That excrement…_ He frowned. _I do wonder whether my old friend Mercer is still around… Maybe he could help me… Whatever the case, I - Oh? What's this?_ The man's eyes narrowed under his shades, his face retaining its steely gaze as he glared into the distance, observing the large mass of flesh, bone and claw leaping from skyscraper to skyscraper with ease. He smirked when he saw the creature sneer at him, flexing its large, clawed arm in anticipation as its red, sunken eyes burned with malice and killing intent. _A Hunter…_ The man thought with a chuckle. _And the Supreme one, no less… What a gracious welcoming gift… I've lacked a decent victim for months… Maybe killing it will improve Mercer's chances of helping me… _He thought, flexing his fingers and folding them into his palm, one by one, until they formed a fist, clenched tight enough to make the leather squeak under the friction.

_Time to settle one of my debts to Mercer…

* * *

_

_**BOOM!**_

"Grah!"

Kouta yelped as the shotgun flew from his grasp, gripping his shoulder in pain as the mobile cannon's stock folded forward again as it clattered to the floor with a loud clang as the boy fell to his knees, one hand wrapped around the injured limb as his face contorted into a mask of pain. "Hmm…" John growled as he held up a notepad. "Not strong enough for that one yet… Franchi SPAS 12 crossed off then… Right." He grunted. "Something with less kick, then… Get up, kid. I'm not training you so you can lay on the ground, crying like a pussy. Be a man and shrug it off." He growled. "Next… Maybe a Mossberg… Nah, the M500's got too much kick… Guess we'll have to go with the Remington… _If_ Dimitri has an 870MCS variant… This is a pain in the ass… Christ, get up, Kid!"

With a grunt, Kouta stumbled back to his feet, one eye still slightly closed from the pain. "Is… Is this really necessary?" He panted. "You've already beaten the pulp… out of me… Why… Why do I _need_ shotgun training?"

"A handgun isn't gonna keep your enemy at bay." The commando grunted as he rummaged through a nearby weapons cache. "You need _real_ guns. Assault rifles, machineguns, rockets, hell, even a sni-"

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly met their ears, one of such intensity that even John flinched, albeit very slightly. The terror within the raw voice was insurmountable, and Kouta's eyes widened as he paled, realization suddenly dawning on him. "Yuka…" He said shakily, turning toward the door. "That was Yuka…" He said as his hands started to quiver.

"Sounds like Lex finally told… er, _showed_ her what she wanted to know…" John grunted. "You better hurry, Kiddo." He said sternly. "They normally cut and run after he shows them… With that Supreme Hunter out there… You don't want her doing that."

* * *

A loud _thump_ echoed across the open clearing atop the building as Yuka tore herself from Alex's memories, limply falling from his grasp as she shook wildly, eyes dancing as she crawled backward, breathing heavily, almost raggedly. "You…" She panted. "You… You… You're a monster!" She cried as she locked her brown eyes with the doctor's crystalline pools. "All those people… All those innocents… What did they ever do to you?" She cried. "They did as they were told, and… And you _killed _them! Like dogs!" She shouted as the tears started to stream down her face. "You… You made them as well! You made people like Nana… And Nyuu!" She sobbed. "You… You monster!"

"I showed what you wanted to see." Alex said blankly. "Would you have believed me if I _told_ you all that? Would you have believed me if I said it was my fault Nana and Kaede were born with those horns? Would you have believed me if I told you I created a breed of _monsters_ without knowing it? I think not." He said. "I promised you I'd tell you if you keep your end of the bargain. You've seen what you wanted to see. It's over."

"J-Just like that?" Yuka hysterically cried. "You show me how you _mutilated_ hundreds of innocent people, how you s-stuck all those needles into innocent people and how you _destroyed_ towns to get to _one_ person, and now you think it's all fine, that w-we can all g-get on with our lives as if nothing happened?" She cried. "You're a madman! A freak! You and everyone else on this… This _castle_!" She barked through her tears.

"I don't need to justify my actions to you." Alex said coldly as he turned away from her and started to the door. "Like I said… You don't matter to me. My concerns are with Kouta, Kaede and Nana, and her friend. You're nothing but dead weight in my opinion. So your opinions, your theories… They're unimportant to me."

"S-So that's it?" Yuka spat as she stood up, supporting herself on one of the walls. "You walk away like nothing happened?" She cried. "You're dragging Kouta into _your_ mess! You're putting him in danger because you feel guilty about Nyuu's father!" She sobbed. "And now you're turning him into one of your jarhead soldiers!"

"I put him in danger because he doesn't care about it." Alex spoke as he stopped before the door. "And John is training him because he asked for it. He _wants_ to be strong. He _wants_ to protect Kaede, no matter the cost." He said. "You're misinterpreting everything now." He said. "Don't let your anger blind you. You'll make your life - and Kouta's - much harder than it needs to be." Alex turned to face her, again gazing into her eyes, glaring slightly. "You're not in Kamakura anymore. Kouta needs _friends_, friends he can trust. _Not_ an incestuous, jealous mother-figure."

"You…" Yuka felt her blood boil in her veins at the insult, and she felt pain shoot through her gums as she grit her teeth, and her nails dug into her palms as she balled her fists. "You're d-despicable… You and your cronies! Everyone here - your sister, that green-haired freak, I hate then a-"

Before she could register it, Alex disappeared - and the next moment, she felt a cold hand close around her throat, lifting her off her feet, until her back met the concrete wall with a loud _thump_. She yelped at the impact, her head bobbing off the solid surface, leaving her dazed for a few seconds, until her eyes fell upon Alex's face - or what she could see of it. He stood in such a posture that the white hoodie cast a shadow across his face, leaving only the bottom half of his face clear. Then he opened his eyes - and Yuka felt the fear flooding her body and mind as she saw the murderous intent in those blue orbs. Seeing the doctor like this scared her out of her mind - up to the point of causing her to hyperventilate. "Now let me make one thing clear." Alex spoke calmly, his voice icy cold and dripping with venom. "If you want to call me a monster, by all means, do so. Tell it to my face, yell it at me, scream it until you turn blue in the face, I don't care. But _that_ is where the line is drawn." He said menacingly. "Consider this your first _and_ last warning…" He said as he narrowed his eyes. Those very words struck the most terror she had ever experience into Yuka's heart as she gazed at the doctor's malicious blue eyes. Then he spoke, a simple sentence that made her blood freeze in her veins and her heart skip a few beats:

"If you ever say anything about Dana or Keira again… Then I _will_ kill you."

* * *

_**CRASH!**_

With a loud, agonising growl, the Supreme Hunter stumbled into the sewage system where it resided, heaving its breaths as it stumbled blindly until it reached a wall to support itself. It coughed up vile, black liquid as other Hunters rushed to it, hints of worry and fear evident in their primal behaviour. "_That… M-Monster…_" The Supreme Hunter gasped, red eyes wide with fear as the multiple wounds upon its body struggled to sew themselves shut. "_That w-was no human… Those eyes… Those e-eyes weren't human… N-Not virus either…_" It growled as the images vividly flitted through its mind, the golden-red eyes haunting its memories as those slitted irises seemed to burn themselves into the folds of its mind. "_This… This f-feeling…_" The Hunter gasped in disbelief as it started at the roof of the tunnel, in the direction of its frightful encounter with the black-clad, red-eyed man.

"_This feeling… Could… Could it be_ fear?"

* * *

"Stop right there!"

The black-clad man smirked cruelly as the voice reached his ears, accompanying the sunlight that glinted across the lenses of his shades as he felt the intruder's eyes burn into the back of his head. "One would expect someone of Mercer's _talents_ to send someone more than a mere virus-riddled lapdog… Captain." The black-clad man spoke in a perfect English accent, his words seemingly flowing from his lips. "Blackwatch's Captain Robert Cross…" He mused as his lens-covered eyes fell upon the frowning captain, the sun colouring the silver streak in his hair a solid shade of white as the man stared at him. "I hear you are a living legend… A living _dead_ legend, if I'm not mistaken…" He smirked, his ambitions suddenly flaring behind the dark sunglasses he bore.

"You know my name…" Cross growled as the wind atop the skyscraper blew the tails of his longcoat out behind him, revealing the large box-like grenade launcher mounted on his arm, as well as the unique stun baton hanging by his belt, as well as two pistol holsters, running behind his back. "And you know of my condition…" He frowned.

"Any self respecting scientist has heard of Alex Mercer's Hunter virus, Captain." The black-clad man grinned darkly. "And of the results it achieved, _especially_ within you, Cross."

"Then who are you?" Cross inquired. "You don't look like a scientist to me." He growled. "You look more like a villain… A bastard in a badass' outfit. Nothing more."

"Oh, you'll find I _am_ a bastard, Captain Cross…" The black-clad man spoke. "But now I'll prove I fit the 'badass' title as well…" Cross needed no more opportunity - in a flash, he drew the two customised handguns from their holsters and let loose a volley of lead in the black-clad direction. Much to his surprise, he saw the man elegantly leap backward into the air, flipping backwards twice - and dodging every bullet in doing so. Cross' eyes widened as each bullet hit the windows of the skyscraper on the opposite block, while the black-clad man landed on his feet without even a bullet hole in the tails of his trench coat. _What the fuck…_ Cross thought in a daze. _That speed… Those reflexes… It's not human…_

"Your aim is immaculate, Captain." The black-clad man applauded as he stood up, smirking sinisterly. Then, in a blur of faint black, he disappeared. "But firearms… are useless against me." The posh English voice suddenly sounded behind Cross.

"Oh, fu-"

_**THWACK!

* * *

**_

_Where is she? Where is she? Dammit! _Kouta panted heavily as he stormed across the Blackwatch facility, searching every nook and cranny for his cousin, interrogating every operative he came across. _She couldn't have just vanished! Dammit, I knew this was gonna happen, I knew -_

_**THUMP!**_

"Yo! Watch it, kiddo." Kouta recoiled slightly as he charged headlong into a very sturdy Blackwatch operative, his forehead bumping into the collar of the assault vest he bore, and his knee clipping itself on the assault rifle's iron sights. Gripping both his forehead and his knee, his one eye narrowed in pain as he stepped back, eying the soldier. It seemed as though he had just returned from an operation, as he still bore all his armour, his sidearm, his rifle and multiple cartridges of ammo. "Say… You're that kid Mercer brought onto the facility. You're not looking for your cousin, are you?" Kouta forgot all his pain when he heard the soldier say that.

"Y-Yes! Yes, I'm looking for her!" He said urgently, quickly meeting the soldier's gaze, even through the gas mask and the high-tech goggles. "Did you see her? I need to know, quickly!"

"Saw her on my way here, rushing toward the Helipad. She don't got clearance to take a chopper, do she?" Kouta paled at the question, and the soldier sighed, accepting the silence as an answer. "Then you'd better hurry, boyo. My team's still in the chopper - I'm supposedly here to hear if we can leave it. Your cousin's not high on Mercer's list of priorities, either - I doubt he'll try to stop her if she wants to leave. Hop to it, sonny. Or you'll be too late to stop her yourself."

Kouta graciously nodded his head, and saluted the soldier as John taught him to, before rushing off down the corridor. _Dammit, dammit, dammit! This can't be happening… This can NOT be happening!_ He thought fearfully as he stormed out of the building with such speed, he nearly took the door off one of its hinges, leaving a considerable bruise on his forehead. _I need to find her… I need to stop her!_

He didn't keep track of how long he ran - John's training granted him the stamina to keep up with it undeterred by any pains or exhaustion. All he worried about was stopping Yuka from boarding that helicopter. With a creature like the Supreme Hunter on the loose, and after it had seen his face, it would undoubtedly use any window of opportunity it was given to get back at him - and that thought instilled nightmarish fear within him. He had seen, firsthand, the malice, power and insanity that creature represented. Any person caught in its way would suffer - one way or another.

_There!_ He thought victoriously, a smile erupting onto his face as he stormed onto the large helipad, his eyes falling on Yuka's dishevelled form standing by one of the active choppers, its rotors still whirring loudly as one of the soldiers sitting in the choppers spoke to Yuka. As Kouta drew closer, the soldier nodded and extended his hand to Yuka, carefully helping her into the chopper. _Oh no!_ "Yuka!" He called at the top his lungs. "YUKA! STOP!" As if by a miracle, she seemed to hear him. She slowly craned her head toward him, and he felt himself slacken, a look of shock and worry plastering itself on his face as he saw the tear stains on her face. No sooner had she laid eyes on him, when she frowned, a look of… _Was… Was that disgust?_ Kouta thought as he saw the dirty look she shot at him, before turning to the pilot. "NO! STOP! YUKA!" He cried after her, to no avail. He saw her nod curtly at the pilot, and to his dismay, the chopper took off, rising higher into the air before lurching forward, gliding across the sea and into the harsh sun.

"No…" He thought in despair as he came to a stop at the edge of the helipad. "Oh, no, no, no! This isn't happening, this isn't happening…" He muttered to himself as he started pacing left and right, feeling his anxiety getting the better of him as fear and worry started invading his body. "What do I do… What do I do?" He frowned, feeling his anger boiling inside him. "SHIT!" He cussed loudly, gripping his head with both hands.

"Don't freak out like that, Kid." Kouta stopped, eyes widening as he whipped his head around, and he saw John standing there, holding a mix of holsters and harnesses in one hand, a small bag strapped to two areas on his belt, and a black longcoat slung across his shoulder. "Bumped into Sergeant Stone after he came to turn in his rifle. Wanted a swap, and he told me about Yuka. Another team's coming for you, to take you after her. I'm here to prep you for it." His gaze turned stern as he looked Kouta dead in the eye, his blood-red iris locking with Kouta's dark pools. "Now you need to be serious, boy… Are you willing to kill to save Yuka, if anything happens?" He asked, his voice lacking its usual growl. "I can't afford 'Maybe' or 'I don't know'. I need a _definite_ answer. Yes, or no." He said sternly. "Which is it?"

For the second time that day, Kouta answered him far too quickly, surprising the commando once more. "Yes." No reasons. No mumbling or muttering or quivering or shaking. A simple, curt answer was what the boy gave - and a simple, curt answer was what made the commando grin.

"Good. Very good." He said, passing the holsters and harnesses to Kouta. "Slip these on. You'll need them for your weapons and ammo. I take it you're still wearing the armour I gave you for our training?" Kouta simply nodded, thought evident in his eyes, but his face displaying nothing but determined radiance. "Excellent." John grinned, unzipping the back. Firstly, he removed five small, angular clips, each filled with the standard-issue bullets. "Nine by eighteen rounds, standard nine-millimetre bullets. You're not taking a Samurai Edge on this one. That gun can be traced by its bullets. Instead, you're taking this." He said as he procured a pistol from the bag. To Kouta, the guns seemed smaller than the Samurai Edge Cross had given him, even if only by a few millimetres. "This is a Sig P228. Dimitri built this one for our recon operatives - soft trigger, carbon slide, stainless steel interior parts, and an internal silencer. You're going into the public - if you're gonna kill, you gotta do it softly." He said, before procuring eight more clips, these longer, and slightly curved. "Forty calibre S&W rounds - hollow point at that. Small entrance wound, exit wound big enough for you to jump through. You'll need 'em for this baby…" He grinned as he pulled a submachine gun, with its shoulder stock folded sideways next to the barrel, from the bag. "H&K MP5-Forty. This baby is specifically chambered for the S&W rounds. Along with that, you got the convenient folding stock, the ACOG scope, the mounted silencer and the laser-aiming module. This baby is for when the shit hits the fan - and believe me, if GenTek is involved, it will." A sudden whirring sound behind them drew their attention, and Kouta peeked past John's muscular form just in time to see a soldier stop and salute the commando.

"We have the team you requested at the ready, and are prepped for takeoff. We're boots up at your command, sir." He said, maintaining the respectful posture throughout his report.

"At ease." John sighed. "I'm not tagging along for this one. This is the Kid's first field run - make sure he makes it back _mostly _in one piece. If not, I'll have Keira skin you." He turned to Kouta. "Okay, Kiddo. Remember everything I taught you, and you'll be fine. Keep your radio handy at all times, remember your terms and commands, and _aim properly_. You. Are. Not. Rambo." He said as clearly as possible. "Couldn't teach you much about stealth, but I assume what I taught you about cover, flanking and suppressing has stuck. At least, I hope…" He sighed, reaching into the bag once more. "Now I have a last present for you." He said as he pulled four grenades from its depths. "Do _not_ use these in a crowded area, boy - you're a trainee, not a fuckin' homicidal lunatic. Wait 'til you're clear, then pull the pin and toss."

Kouta gulped as he took his equipment into his hands. "John… I…" He looked up toward the commando, seeing the stern expression he wore on his face. "Thanks. For the advice… I… I don't know if…"

"Hell, I don't know either." John grunted. "I don't know if GenTek are gonna interfere, I don't know how far you'll come, and I don't if your man enough to handle that SMG. But still… I think you'll handle it nicely. Now shut the fuck up and get on that chopper, Boy. Don't keep your cousin waiting." Kouta simply smiled as John tossed the longcoat at him. "Hide your shit with this. It works - just ask Cross." He grinned. "Now off ya go." He said, pushing Kouta to the chopper. He watched the young boy tentatively board the chopper, and take a seat between two of the better-equipped soldiers, each bearing a longcoat identical to his. Then, with a whir of the rotors and a roar of the boosters mounted under it, the chopper took off, in hot pursuit of the other.

John waited for a few minutes, until the helicopter was almost a dot on the horizon, before pulling the small radio from pocket and attaching it around his ear, with the small microphone a few inches from his mouth. "How sure are you about this?" He asked into the microphone.

"I'm dead sure, John." A deep, almost world-weary voice replied into his ear. "Grim and I pinpointed this together. They have eyes all across Kamakura - if they the boy's cousin, they'll abduct her and leave a trail of breadcrumbs for him to follow, all the way to the warehouse. Judging by how the facility is equipped, it seems they think they can gun him down at the entrance."

"Thanks." John grunted. "I'll inform Alex immediately. Over and out." He growled as he pulled the small headpiece from his ear, before stuffing it back into his pocket, grinning slightly when he felt the eyes boring into his back.

"Inform me of what?" Alex's cold voice reached his ears, and the commando smiled as he turned around to face his friend. "Is there anything I should know? Is Kouta in danger?"

"You bet your ass." John grinned in response. "The guys who chased 'em at the bridge have eyes and ears all over Kamakura. The minute Yuka sets foot on Kamakura soil, they'll welcome her with a nice assault rifle salute. Seems they're only interested in her - my source says they'll disarm our boys and send 'em packing."

"You think Kouta can handle the facility?" Alex asked as he stared into the distance, along the trail Kouta's helicopter left. "We don't have a lot of info on the facility, John. Anything could change…"

"Aw, c'mon, Lex… This is GenTek. A few punks with MP5's, maybe one or two with an M16. Nothing I haven't trained him to handle. Besides, I gave him forty cal hollow points. If he fails with those, I'll kill him myself - even a useless douche can beat the odds with the equipment I gave him." He smirked.

"Who's your informant?" Alex suddenly asked. "How trustworthy is he, John? I don't want another Reagan situation. Who gave you your info?"

"One of the best damn infiltrators in history, Lex…" John grinned as gazed into the distance, smirking as the sun danced off his red irises.

"My informant is Fisher, Lex. Sam Fisher."

* * *

"They fell for it…" A deep Russian voice carrying a heavy accent drifted across the briefing room, the figure's face hidden by the shadows outside the neon light's reach. "They think our outfit weak. Our eyes confirmed that Kaede's lover coming to Kamakura, after cousin. He doesn't know cousin is already at warehouse… Kakuzawa."

"They weren't supposed to fall for it at all…" Kakuzawa seethed from behind his GenTek laptop. "Because they weren't supposed to get that info! How the fuck did you lose it?" He roared. "This was top secret information, and what happens? Two _miscreants_ steal it from right under our noses, and kill five whole squadrons in the process! HOW COULD YOU LET THAT HAPPEN?"

"Shut up, Director." The Russian figure scolded. "We have same thorn in side as you do - Blackwatch, Trans-World Operations… Third Echelon…" The figure frowned, the creasing of his brow evident even in the shadows. "Sam Fisher and Anna Grimsdottir hard to stop, as are Archer and Kestrel. Blackwatch's contacts go deep. I heard they have even the SAS for help. It hard to keep secret from them all." He said.

"I don't care." Kakuzawa seethed. "I work with you because of your reputation, Vorchenko. I _don't_ want excuses, especially from someone in your position!" He chided. "Speak with your American and English associates, go to the head of the organization, I don't care! I want this situation dealt with so I can go back to work on the Diclonius species - you _know_ your organization depends on that! But I _cannot_ work on them with Mercer and that Supreme… _pink thing_ interfering each time I try to retake Lucy!"

"Even we are penetrable, Director." Vorchenko spoke. "But that is bar tale for other time. Now we must focus - The boy comes. What our orders?"

"…Dispose of him." Kakuzawa hissed. "Do whatever you must. Just _get rid of him_." Vorchenko nodded at the order, and quickly raised a radio to his face.

"Andriy…" He spoke in English, making sure the Director understood him. "The boy taken the bait. Take fifteen _ochistiteli_ to the warehouse. AKs. Untraceable bullets. Wait until boy finds cousin, then move in and 'clean up'." He frowned.

"Make sure boy is dead. Lucy must have no reason to live."

* * *

"_Fuck… Fuck! This is just brilliant…_" Kouta winced slightly as the voice invaded his ear through the radio, startling him. The soldier next to him quickly grabbed onto his shoulder. "Careful." He warned. "These seatbelts are loose - fall forward and you'll get whiplash." Kouta nodded his thanks to the soldier, and quickly returned his attention to his radio.

"_This is Viper 5 to Command, come in… We were ambushed at the landing zone…_" The voice spoke. "_Anderson and Myers are dead… Yuka was taken prisoner during the run in… So was Andre and Michaels… McCann, Hale and Jonah are wounded, and Sergeant Weston stayed behind to pursue… We are returning to base, Command - too many casualties._"

"_Roger, Viper 5._" A female voice spoke over the radio. "_Viper 4, prep for ambush at the drop zone. Advise to move to secondary drop zone and leave one unit to infiltrate. The rest can act as a diversion while unit one infiltrates and extracts the POWs._"

"Now that sounds like a plan." One of the soldiers turned to Kouta as he spoke. "Well, it's your cousin. Think you're man enough to save her, Kiddo?" He asked as he cocked his assault rifle.

"…John didn't train me for nothing." Kouta said after a brief silence. "He taught me how to shoot, and how to move. I'm going to use that." He said shakily. "I don't know if I'll have to… But if anyone gets in my way… I'll shoot them." He said. He didn't care whether his nerves said otherwise. He didn't care about how pale the thought of killing made him, or how he was about to run into a group of armed soldiers man alone. All he cared about was getting Yuka back - and the determination in his pale, frightened face proved it.

"Right between the eyes! Atta boy!" The soldier laughed heartily. "You go in there and you show them what a badass you've become, right boy?" He asked Kouta, who merely nodded, intertwining his fingers as he rested his forehead against them. "Pilot! Contact Command and get those coordinates for the secondary drop zone." The soldier grinned as he looked at Kouta.

"The boy's becoming a man - a man who wants to kick ass!"

* * *

"Robert!"

"Please, miss, stay seated, your health -"

"I don't care! What happened to Robert?"

Mariko's screams echoed across the hospital bay as John led the stretcher brought through the doors, an unconscious and heavily scarred Cross resting upon it, oxygen mask across his face, bleeding profusely. "Get the _fuck_ outta the way!" He growled as he moved to open the doors. "We have a Specialist down, so move your sorry asses!" He barked, pulling open the doors and allowing the stretcher to pass through it. "Fuck… Where the fuck is Alex?" He roared as he scanned the room. "We need him here, find him and tell him -"

"I know, John." Alex suddenly appeared behind the commando, steely gaze hidden by his hood. "Robert is going to be fine. His injuries aren't severe." He said coldly, as he beckoned for a group of doctors to go after the injured Captain. "I have more pressing matters to attend to - like finding the one who did this to him." He said softly, an almost amused tone coming from his mouth. "To think he's gotten that strong…" He smirked.

"You… You know who did this?" John asked cautiously. To his knowledge, few things made Alex smirk - and those that did were normally hazardous to his mortal health, even with his benefits. "Who could kick Cross' ass so badly that he loses consciousness? I mean, Jesus, Cross is stronger than I am!"

"I have a hunch." Alex smirked again. "Whoever beat Cross, defeated the Supreme Hunter earlier as well. I felt the Hunter retreat through the Hive Mind. I also learned what it felt afterwards - the same feeling it felt when it knew it couldn't defeat me at the factory, John… It felt _fear_. And I know only one other individual capable of that - because everyone fears him after seeing his skill. Only fools do not." He gazed down the hall, his eyes falling on the door to the operating room where Cross was taken. His crystalline gaze lingered there for a while, before he turned around.

"Radio the comms tower." He said as he strode to the exit of the hospital. "Tell them to prep the jet chopper… I'm going to Kamakura."

* * *

Every breath he took felt like it was right next to his ears, loud enough to shake his mind as he stood with his back to the wall. The warehouse wasn't very large - the factory where he had fought the Hunter was much bigger. What worried him was the number of guards _around_ the warehouse. That, and what he was about to do. Kouta nervously drew a deep breath, before looking up to the sky. _If you're there… _He started to pray, mentally. _Please, give me strength… Strength, and forgiveness…_ He thought as he felt the beginnings of tears start to sting the corners of his eyes. The back entrance to the warehouse complex was reasonably unguarded. Around the corner where he was taking cover, three guards were engaging in a nonsensical conversation about the guns the Blackwatch operatives had, and how theirs were inferior. His heart started to hammer in his chest. _I can do this… I can do this…_

"_Think you're man enough to save her, Kiddo?"_

"_You go in there and you show them what a badass you've become, right boy?"_

"_The boy's becoming a man - a man who wants to kick ass!"_

"Okay…" He whispered to himself as he gritted his teeth. "I can do this…" He said, hearing one of the guards around the corner talk about how he wanted 'that Rambo gun' the one Blackwatch Operative used. "One… Two… Three!" On his mark, Kouta steeled his nerves and shot from his cover. _"You can shoot as fast as your mind can register, boy…"_ One of John's first lessons repeated itself in his head. _"A sharp mind means quick and easy killing. That's what we're gonna study now…_" And lo and behold, he had spoken the truth. The minute Kouta laid eyes on the guards, he had already taken aim. He didn't hear his gun fire - not even the silenced _pew_ it should have given off. His heart and his breaths dominated his hearing. All he saw was how the world seemed to slow down, and before he knew it, the slide of the Sig handgun slowly slid back, releasing the second empty casing mere milliseconds after the first - a first Kouta failed to realize had left the gun. The next thing he saw made his eyes widen, even in mid-run: The arcs of blood spraying from two of the guards' heads as they lifelessly collapsed to the floor. He saw how the third guards cigarette fell from his lips at a painfully slow rate, saw his eyes widen in shock and fear, and saw his rifle fall from his hands. The world seemed to freeze then. Kouta's pale face locked with the guards terrified one - and in a defining moment, slamming his eyes shut, Kouta pulled the trigger again, and he heard not only the world returning to normal, but the third guard's body falling to the ground.

_I… I did it… I've killed someone… Oh my God… I've killed someone!_ He thought, freezing on the spot for a few moments. _I've shed blood… I've killed… I've -_ "CHRIST!" He heard a voice coming from around the corner. "Intruder! We have an intruder!" The man's terrified screech quickly snapped Kouta back to his sense, and he quickly started scanning his surroundings again. _"Remember, you can hide behind anything that solid, and you won't get shot - at least, not if they don't flank you…_" Taking John's words into consideration once again, Kouta quickly dove behind one of the low concrete walls, holstered his pistol, and pulled his MP5 from his longcoat, carefully folding the stock out and pressing it against his shoulder. "_Spot your opponents before trying to aim at them through a scope - it'll make killing the bastards easier - and less hazardous - for you."_ Carefully, he leaned out of his cover, observing the scene as his targets appeared. Four more soldiers were scanning the area, two kitted with assault rifles and two with machine pistols. _Those… I know those…_ He thought as his eyes fell upon the two assault rifles. _"The M4A1… One of the most common American weapons you'll find in Blackwatch, and in the states, army-wise. They're reliable enough, and very accurate. It's still no AK, but it's definitely worth a look if you're up for close-quarter shootouts or low-volume sniping."_ He frowned as he watched the two men cock their rifles. _Why do Japanese mercenaries use American weapons?_ He thought as he carefully brought his SMG's scope to his eye. The gun was rather heavy for a few moments, and the crosshairs kept dancing from side to side, but after a while he grew accustomed to it. _Here we go again…_ He thought. He narrowed his eyes, drew a breath, and squeezed the trigger.

The loud _thwacks_ met his ears as the MP5 released a three-bullet burst of lead at his target, all three embedding themselves solidly in the mercenary's head. Doing as John had taught him to, he quickly took advantage of the window he was given when the other three froze on the spot, stunned at their friend's sudden death. He quickly stood from his cover, and in a flash, quicker than he could register, the MP5 was nine bullets lighter, and three more bodies littered the floor. He shot from his cover, dashing madly toward the next piece of cover, a derelict forklift parked near the wall. Just as he dove for it, however, he heard another guard cry out. "Found the bastard! Third sector, get me reinforcements!" Before he knew it, Kouta heard automatic fire barrelling down on the forklift. A narrow opening between the fork mechanism and the chassis allowed him a view of the left side of the battlefield, and he saw about six men gunning down on his position. _"Learn to cook your grenades, Kid. It's a valuable life-saver."_ He quickly pulled one of the grenades from his belt, braced himself, and yanked the pin out, hearing the fuse starting to tick down. Just when he heard the ticking intensify, he flung the grenade at the six with all his might.

"Shit, GRENA-"

_**BOOM!**_

The opening allowed him a clear view of the six bodies mutilated, incinerated and blown sky-high by the grenade, and just as John had told him to anticipate, the others focused their fire on the side of the forklift where he tossed the grenade. He grit his teeth as he took another of John's lessons to mind, and quickly hung out of the opposite end of the forklift. He had six bursts left - a fact he had kept check of ever since he started using the SMG, and a fact he quickly took advantage of. Three more bursts left the barrel of the gun in silent puffs, and to his own surprise, four more guards fell. Ten guards dead, three to go. He drew in his breath and dashed from behind the forklift, already taking note of where the guards were, and as he ran, he already readied his gun. It was by a miracle that he wasn't torn apart by the bullets - each seemed to miss their mark, embedding themselves in the concrete or in the walls, and as he neared his next piece of cover, he quickly dropped to his side, sliding the rest of the way. The confusion his sudden drop in height caused came to his advantage, and he quickly swung the MP5 at one of the guards, planting two bullets in his head, and one in the concrete behind him, before fully disappearing into cover. "Jesus, this guy's like Rambo! Why the hell can't we hit him?"

"Why the fuck do you think we can't? He's fucking Blackwatch!"

"He's a FUCKING KID!"

"A FUCKING KID WHOSE KICKING OUR AS-"

_**PEWPEWPEW!**_

"What the fu-"

_**PEW!**_

With two bullets left in his gun, the final guards fell to the ground, the sides of their heads blown clean away by the hollow points Kouta was using. After he heard their bodies hit the concrete, he extended a shaky hand to pull the small lever behind the cartridge, effectively dropping it from the gun, before pulling a full clip from his harness and slamming it into the slot. _Come on…_ He encouraged himself through his fear and anxiety. His entire body was shaking like mad, and his breathing was ragged. _You can do this… It's almost over… We just need to get Yuka… Then we can go home…_ He thought as he stalked toward one of the side entrances to the warehouse.

* * *

Unbeknownst to him, a pair of eyes were observing him from afar, as the low breeze billowed the figure's black coat out behind him, its splayed shadows complementing the black shades covering the ever-ambitious gaze. _So there's a mundane in Mercer's band of merry men…_ The black-clad man thought with a smirk. _Unfortunately joining the band alone is not enough, boy… Mercer's men are _unique_. To survive… You must be too… _He thought as pulled an injection needle from his coat. _I will give you what you need, boy… As a favour to Mercer, and his friend Nathan… I owe them both, and I can repay it by giving Kaede a _competent_ guardian… A competent lover. But it will come at a cost, Kouta… And I fear the cost will be more than you can bear…

* * *

_

"Hehe… You hear that?" The mercenary asked a gagged Yuka, tied to a chair in the middle of a large clearance between the wares, a single lamp hanging above her whimpering form. "The gunshots died down… Whoever came for you is dead." He cooed. "We have a weakness against Lucy now… Your cousin will do nothing as long as we have you here. And if he does nothing, Lucy does nothing. And Lucy does nothing… Mercer does no-"

_CLACK!_

"The fuck?" The sound of a gun clattering onto the hard concrete echoed from the darkness of the warehouse, reaching their ears immediately. "Oi! Hold your damn gun correctly!" The mercenary called into the shadows. "I don't need any Terminator one-handed from you limp-dick idiots!" He growled as he turned back to Yuka. "This is a bitch… I get one fine piece o' lady meat to guard, and I can't do shit 'cuz I gotta wipe these dipshits' asses every second minute… This is bullshit. I'm having one helluva shitty day."

"It just got worse."

"What the-" Almost immediately after the malicious voice escaped the shadows, a figure dropped from the roof, landing directly behind the mercenary, submachine gun in one hand, the other balled into a fist. "Oh, fuck off!" The mercenary cried in fright, immediately swinging the butt of his pistol over to clock the intruder in the face. His strike met nothing but air, as the intruder ducked under the attack and grabbed hold of his arm around the wrist, and slammed the tip of the submachine gun into the mercenary's diaphragm. Yuka watched in horror as her captor lurched forward, and as the intruder placed the tip of the gun next to his head, before pulling the trigger. Then she slammed her eyes shut as the suppressed gunshots faded away in a near instant, and she heard the body hit the floor. Fear overtook her as she heard the intruder step closer, and she started whimpering as tears escaped her closed eyes.

"Yuka?"

Her eyes flew open at the sound of the voice, and she quickly flipped her head up as a gloved hand grabbed the cloth around her mouth and yanked it off, allowing her to smile up at a friendly face at last. "K-Kouta…" She gasped as he set to work on undoing her bindings. "H-How… Where did you…"

"I'll explain back at the fortress…" He replied shakily. "Right now we have to leave, Yuka… All the guards are… Are…" He gulped loudly. "Dead. I… I killed them all…" He said sadly. "We can just walk out of here, and -"

_**BOOM!**_

The wall of the warehouse burst into a cacophony of flame and debris as the tremendous explosion shook the very foundations of the building, sending both Kouta and Yuka reeling from the shockwave. Kouta felt the submachine gun fly from grip, and his pistol holster come loose as he landed painfully on his side, sliding farther away. "Kouta!" He heard Yuka cry after him, and started to look around, dazed. His eyes met Yuka's as she rushed to him, avoiding the larger debris as he propped himself onto his hands and knees. "Kouta! Are you… Are you okay?" She asked hysterically, kneeling beside him, throwing one of his arms across her shoulders as she helped him up. "Come on… Come on! We have to leave, we have to… To…" Yuka fell silent, and Kouta felt her grip around his wrist slacken. He saw her eyes begin to tear up, dancing with fear, and when he looked up, he finally saw why.

The ringing disappeared from his ears, and the sounds of a helicopter's rotors replaced it, along with the sound of falling debris and coats ruffling in the windy aftermath of the explosion. Before them stood fifteen men, seven on one side, seven on the others, each armed with what Kouta had learned to be AK47's, whilst the fifteenth person, the one in the middle, stood with one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cigar a few inches from his face. The light cascading through the hole, and the shining plates of the attack helicopter hovering behind them, obscured their faces and uniforms in the darkness - all Kouta could decipher was the long coats they wore, the AKs in their hands, and the eyepatch the centre attacker bore. "You chose wrong day to attack our turf." He spoke in a thick Russian accent. "And you meddle with our investments." He said, beckoning to Yuka with his cigar. "You should not have done that." As if on cue, the other fourteen members cocked their AKs and took aim. "This what happens when you piss off Illuminati, boy." The leaders said nonchalantly as the helicopter left the scene, moving forward over the warehouse until its whirring rotors were out of earshot. The leader looked Kouta dead in the eye, and took a deep drag of his cigarette.

"Kill them."

* * *

The world seemed to slow again when Kouta heard the leader order his men to open fire. Seeing how slowly the bolts of the AKs pulled back was agonising - his muscles refused to budge, leaving him planted on the spot. His heart leapt to his throat, and his quivering intensified as he held onto Yuka, doing his best to be of comfort to her at that moment, ignoring how much he needed it as well. As quickly as the state of time allowed him to, he turned his head to Yuka, allowing their teary eyes to meet, for a last time.

"I'm sorry."

His words left his mouth in nothing but a shaky whisper, the only sound he could hear as his tears started to flow freely. Yuka saw this, and started to cry as well as she embraced Kouta, burying her face in his chest. One sob met his ears - only one - when the time returned to its normal pace - and then the bullets came.

The AKs fired in perfect unison, amplifying the sound to ear-shattering levels as the bullets burned magnesium trails in the air as they left the barrels. Kouta's scream of pain failed to leave his throat as the lead shards buried themselves in his body, jerking it in every direction as the bullets started to tear them apart. Their embrace broke as the bullets shook their bodies, and Kouta managed a last look at Yuka's pained face before a bullet found its mark, right on her temple. The life immediately left her eyes, and her tears stopped flowing, those on her cheeks flying into the air as her lifeless body plummeted to the ground, ripped to shreds by the high calibre bullets cascading onto them. Kouta felt one bullets crack something in his lower back, and he immediately lost feeling of his legs. He felt them give way under his body's weight, allowing him to fall down with Yuka as the AKs tore at them.

The minute his body met the cold concrete floor, the pain of all the bullets struck him in unison, with all the subtlety of a freight train. The pain erupted throughout his body as blood flew upwards from his many wounds, dancing before his eyes before falling back down to earth. He found himself unable to scream, unable to move, unable to do anything. All he could do was to allow his head to roll to the side, letting his pained gaze fall on Yuka's lifeless body, eyes blank, face littered with bullet wounds as the blood formed around her body, pooling with his as he felt his heart begin to beat slower. Everything suddenly became clearer for him - he saw everything in detail, and heard everything perfectly, even the tobacco burning in the leader's cigar. Suddenly, he heard a voice; a voice that rang crystal clear in those final moments. A voice ripe with an English accent.

"So… The Illuminati are involved? How quaint…"

"What the… Who the fuck are -"

_**SNAP!**_

"Shit! Boss! You motherfu-"

_**POW!**_

_**THWACK!**_

_**CRUNCH!**_

"Argh! My arm!"

"No… No! Please, don-"

_**SPLAT!**_

"HELP! HEEE-"

_**CRACK!**_

And then it ended. Almost as soon as the conflict met Kouta's ears, it was done - and it sounded as if there wasn't a guard left standing. Mustering the last of his energy, he rolled his to side one last time - and came face to face with two golden-red eyes, each with a slitted black pupil in the centre, partially hidden by a very dark pair of sunglasses. This red-eyed man kneeled next to him, black trench coat splaying out on the ground as the light flowing into the warehouse illuminated the diamond-patterned clothing he wore. "So… You are the mundane one Mercer is training." He spoke softly. "Such a pity this happened… I had planned on doing this later, when things were calmer… And then they stepped in…" He glanced back at the bodies of the Russian mobsters. "Your cousin… You have my condolences. I did not expect her to die… Had I known this would happen, I would have intervened." He sighed. "But now I know you have it in yourself. You can kill. You can kill _ruthlessly_, Kouta." He smirked. "And as such, as a gift to Kaede, I bring a gift for you…" He said, procuring a large injection needle from the inner pockets of his coat. "I offer you a new life… A better life… As a stronger person, Kouta…" He said, slamming the needle into Kouta's chest. Kouta felt nothing at first, he was already numb and in pain. What followed, however, was bad enough to make him squirm, even in his state. It felt as though his insides were melting, burning away in a fire that scorched him from the inside out. His entire body convulsed, jerking and twitching as he muttered any groan he could. "Be still now, Kouta." The red-eyed man said, holding him in place as he ran a gloved hand down Kouta's face, forcing his eyes shut. "This is the cost of your new life, boy…" He said calmly.

"You must die… So you may live…"

Then everything went black.

* * *

"Jesus fucking Christ…" The Blackwatch soldier gaped in awe at the destruction caused at the warehouse. "The _kid_ did all this?"

"That's fucking impossible…" Another operative huffed, pushing the stock of his rifle onto his shoulder. "The kid had, what, a pistol and an MP5? Those can't blow a crater in the side of a warehouse, you fu… Oh, fuck. Shit! Medic! MEDIC!" He started crying as he rushed forward, confusing his teammates.

"Jesus, McKell, what the hell is your…" He fell silent when he witnessed the sight before him. Fifteen men, clad in dark brown longcoats, massacred at the gaping hole in the warehouse. One had a broken neck, another's spine was protruding from his back, and several others bore large, gaping holes in their chests - and in the centre of it all lay Kouta and Yuka; deathly pale and long dead. "Oh, God…" He sighed as slumped against the wall for support. "We… We're too late…" He gasped. "Mercer is gonna skin us… He's gonna -"

"AaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The operatives all jumped when Kouta's body suddenly arched on the ground, shoulders pulling back as he uttered possibly the most agonising scream they had heard in their careers. It reverberated off the walls and shook each operative to their soul. Quickly, the operative named McKell came to his senses. "Jesus, the boy's in pain! MEDIC! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!" He yelled, quickly running over to the boy and dropping to his knees beside him. "Easy there boy, easy…" He tried to calm Kouta as the medic rushed over, while another operative tried to contact their betters.

"Bloodhound-Seven to Command, come in Command! Jesus, are you there?

"_We hear you, Bloodhound-Seven. What is that? Who is screaming in the background?_"

"We… We've just stumbled onto Kaede Riggs' spouse, and his cousin… Oh God… I don't… I don't know how to say this… The boy, Kouta… He was dead! We saw it - and now… Now he's alive again, and… And…"

"_Could you repeat that, Bloodhound? You retrieved Kouta and Yuka?_"

"Yes, yes, we found 'em, Command…" The operative sighed as he glanced back at his teammates tying Kouta to a stretcher. "Kouta… He… He's shot up pretty bad, Command - we need immediate MedEvac! I… I don't think he's gonna make it…"

"_Roger, Bloodhound-Seven._" The radio operator responded. "_MedEvac is being prepped as we speak, and we are notifying Doctor Mercer of your location immediately. What of Yuka, Private?_" She asked, and the operative slowly turned his head toward Yuka's fallen form, his heart sinking as he saw the medic futilely perform CPR on her. "_Are you still there, Bloodhound?_" The operator asked. "_Is Yuka safe?_"

"No…" He sighed as he crestfallenly turned away. "It's no good, Command… She's dead."

* * *

With a loud _crack_, the concrete shattered as Alex Mercer landed next to the warehouse, bits of debris flying upward as he crouched into the landing, balling a fist as he awaited the news. Slowly, almost threateningly, he rose to his length and looked at the large helicopter landed in the opening. He slowly strode toward it, taking time to analyze the hole in the warehouse and the corpses of the Russian thugs, before reaching the two stretchers. One had a white, bloodstained sheet over it, and the other had Kouta strapped safely to it. He slowly walked over to the bloodstained sheet and lifted it, his face falling slightly as his eyes came to rest on Yuka's shredded body, eyes still wide open after her death. Respectfully, he ran his hand down her face, forcing her eyes shut, before lowering the sheet again.

He then strode over to Kouta's resting form, readjusting the oxygen mask as he looked at the boy's bloodied body, torn and ripped apart by bullets. It amazed him how someone could be alive after such an encounter - nobody other than himself should be able to withstand such an attack. Kouta suddenly stirred, groaning slightly as he wrestled against the restraints of the stretcher. Alex quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him still and calming him. "Don't move, Kouta." He said softly. "We're taking you home. We're going to fix you."

"A… Alex…?" Kouta rasped, eyes still shut as he breathed raggedly.

"I'm here." Alex replied, keeping his hand on Kouta's shoulder to keep the young boy calm. "Don't worry, you're safe now."

"Yu… Yuka…" Kouta groaned. "Whe… Where is…"

"There was nothing we could do, Kouta." Alex said sadly as he saw Kouta's pained face fall as he pieced the puzzle together. "She didn't make it. I'm sorry, Kouta… She's gone…" Even through all the blood and the torn skin, even through the closed eyes, Alex still saw a tear leak from the corner of Kouta's eye, streaming down the side of his face, onto the fabric covering the stretcher, and the boy let a pained groan, a mix between a cry and a sob, into the oxygen mask. Then, even though his eyes were closed, Kouta turned his head to face Alex.

"The… The man…" He rasped, making Alex knit his brow in confusion. "The man… Who… Gave… Shot…" Alex tilted his head as Kouta spoke. "The… The red-eyes man…" Realization dawned on Alex's face as soon as the words left Kouta's mouth. _I know who this is…_ He thought as he gazed at Kouta.

"I'm going to go look for him now, Kouta." Alex assured the inured boy. "You must rest now. Don't worry anymore - the doctors will take good care of you. Just relax, and sleep now." He said, gently pressing Kouta's head back onto the stretcher before turning to the crew. "GenTek has eyes and ears everywhere - I want you all to board this chopper and make sure the boy reaches the facility safely. Once there you notify doctors Rojas and Heed that they must get to work on him immediately. Tell Meg to break the news to Kaede, and tell Dana I said she should tell Nana and Maya about what happened. I want Kaede granted access to Kouta's bedside after the operation _at all times_. Am I understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" The operatives saluted him, before filing onto the helicopter, one by one, as the two stretchers were placed inside. A low hum escaped the engines as the blades started to rotate, and within a few moment, the engines were whirring loudly, and the helicopter ascended into the sky, taking the victims to a safe haven, away from all the death.

* * *

"It would seem you really did reform, Alex…" Alex smirked as the English voice met his ears, and he turned around to see the red-eyed man Kouta had spoken about exit the warehouse through the large crater. His black trench coat danced in the wind, and the sun danced off the lenses of his dark sunglasses, lighting up his slicked back blonde hair in a marvellous golden hue. "You've grown a heart… How nice…"

"A partial heart." Alex responded to his old acquaintance. "I didn't think you'd come back to Japan… The official records say you're dead." He smirked. "Then again, Kouta should also be dead… What did you do to him? Another one of your 'new genesis' viruses? Or one to make another monster?" He asked. "You _do_ know the Diclonius queen is his girlfriend, right? If you did anything insolent…"

"_I_ didn't do anything, Alex." The black-clad man responded with a grin. "Should anything happen to him, you should consult the findings of the late scientist William Birkin for that advice… I assure you, he knows more than I do… I only administered it. Well, a _copy_ of it…" He grinned. "I've made him powerful, Alex. Powerful enough to protect Riggs' daughter, even against the Supreme Hunter. Just so off the record, by the way, I ran into him earlier. It wasn't exactly a challenge… I fail to grasp that you were rivals once. It is beyond weak. Slow, sloppy and arrogant. But then again… Your Specialist wasn't a treat, either. Far too unsuspecting…" The black-clad man said. "Just know that I administered a 'wonder serum' to make the little boy turn into a king for his queen…"

"So what happens now?" Alex asked sceptically, crossing his arms as he gazed at the black-clad man with something akin to suspicion. "We're not looking at another epidemic, are we?"

"No… Not yet, anyhow…" The black-clad man responded as he turned around. "The Supreme Hunter threatens my new genesis, Alex, as does Kakuzawa and his new… _lapdogs_. You'll need help against them when the war comes… That's when I will reappear to help. Simply because it is in my best interests to assist you…" He grinned.

"Guess I'll see you then." Alex smirked as he turned around and started toward the wall, preparing to leap over it and return to the jet helicopter.

"Oh, and Alex…" The black-clad man called after him, drawing his attention again. Alex turned to face him just in time to see the man remove the sunglasses he wore, and turn to face him, his golden-red, cat-like eyes locking with Alex's crystal gaze. "Of all the names I have been given, 'red-eyes man' appeals to me the least…" He said, making Alex chuckle. "Should the boy wake…" The black-clad man spoke as he put his sunglasses back on, pushing them up the bridge of his nose with his index finger. "I wish for you to relay a message to him." He smirked.

"Tell him his… _gift_ comes with regards… from Albert Wesker."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, okay, I was a bit off on the time of posting, but at last, after all the struggles this chapter presented me with, I have finally finished it, and have delivered it for your leisure. That said, I retyped the ending to this chapter more times than I care to remember, and each time it feels either a) rushed, b) sloppy or c) both. So please… If you read this, let me know whether it is just superstition or whether it really is horrid writing at its best.**

**Now, for those of you who lack the knowledge of crossovers this chapter:**

**- Trans World Operations: The player's 'organization' in the Army of Two video game.  
- Sam Fisher: All-round badass, the protagonist of the Splinter Cell series.  
- Anna Grimsdottir - Another character from Splinter Cell.  
- Archer and Kestrel - Characters from the 'Deniable Ops' minigame in the latest Splinter Cell.  
- Albert Wesker - Main antagonist of the Resident Evil series, superhuman.**

**So… Was it good? Was it great? Was it bad or was it horrid? That I do not know - That you must tell me. So please, leave me a review with your thoughts on the story. I greatly appreciate them - and I greatly appreciate those who keep reading this fic. You are the best!**

**Until next time, farewell,**

**C.P**


	10. Days of Peace, Pt 1

**Pre-Chapter A/N:**** Nothing too important to say **_**now**_**, apart from the mandatory "Sorry for not updating for 2+ years, please don't throw me to the mechanical, fire-breathing lions!" and the "Hope you enjoy!". There IS, however, a rather large A/N at the end of this chapter. I'd appreciate it if you guys could read through it. Until then, here goes chapter 10!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 10  
Days of Peace, Pt. 1**

"So you're carrying a firearm now, Mercer… How unlike you."

Alex Mercer knew the speaker would find him _sometime_. Their interaction at the sight of the massacre warranted as much. Honestly, the viral monster thought he'd finally be _rid_ of this annoying presence when the reports came back from Africa, but then again… News like that is always too good to be true. He turned around, tearing his gaze away from the view of the city the top floor of the skyscraper offered, and glared at his 'visitor' as the wind toyed around with his jacket. The man's attire hadn't changed much since they last met. The dark shades were still present, situated right above a smirk that was downright _infuriating_ to anyone who knew what it meant. The dark, diamond-patterned longcoat also remained – of course it would. That idiot was always fond of showing off and holding himself back.

"Lots of changes occurred, Wesker," he said coldly as he glared at the megalomaniacal man. "I carry a gun; you go around sharing your little 'gift' with any wounded person you come across."

The chuckle that followed his statement only served to annoy him. "That boy is hardly 'any wounded person', Mercer," Wesker spoke, his smirk never leaving his face. "He's courting the so-called 'queen' of the Diclonii, isn't he?" The man said smugly. "And now, he owes me a life – _his_ life – and that's a debt I intend to collect on the future."

Alex fixed a glare at the blonde-haired man. "What do you intend to do, Wesker?" The question was laced with murderous intent, a promise of violence should the answer not be appeasing. Wesker, to his credit, was unfazed – if anything, his smirk merely _broadened_ at the prospect of fighting another organism as powerful as him.

"Oh, nothing that will interfere with your little project, Mercer," the superhuman shrugged nonchalantly. "If anything, my plan should remove a thorn from your side as well." The man's smirk still did not waver. "Just because dear little queen is suddenly subdued and peaceful doesn't mean you should think the rest have settled down. If anything… They've become even more violent – and as you know, violent mutants draw… unsavoury attention."

"Get to the point, Wesker," Alex said calmly. For all his smarts and savvy, Wesker never could drop that little habit of his.

"B.S.A.A," Wesker said simply. "The Diclonius attacks have drawn their attention, and they've issued a shoot-to-kill order regarding all encounters. Your old friend Kakuzawa has… 'exploited' this little order – he's contacted them and informed them that the 'queen' is residing here in Kamakura."

Alex felt his right eye twitch slightly. "B.S.A.A… Shit."

"Indeed," Wesker smirked. "And your little piece of Blackwatch can't do anything to dissuade them. After that little 'mishap' of yours in New York, they've had quite a strong dislike of you and that other violent ape you turned. If the information my… 'associate' has gathered is any indication, they have troops heading here as we speak."

"…Why are you telling me this?" Alex asked coldly. He _knew_ Albert Wesker – the man _never_ did anything like this if he couldn't stand to gain from it. "This isn't like you."

"Why, I stand to gain quite a bit from it, of course," Wesker shrugged, _still_ smirking. "Chris Redfield might be amongst the troops. If I'm lucky, he'll see the boy has… _my_ eyes and start shooting at him. _That_ should sit well with the queen," he said smugly, sarcasm lacing his words.

"That's all?" Alex asked dubiously. "You're telling me this because you might get a chance to see Chris Redfield die?" He snorted. "I know you hate the man, Wesker, but your plans are _never_ that simple."

"That they aren't…" Wesker chuckled again. "But then again, telling you _everything_ might just spoil the fun."

Alex stood still for a few moments, studying the man before him critically. "It's got something to do with Kaede…" He said darkly, more a statement than a question, and the reaction – the dark-clad man's smirk finally splitting into an outright grin – offered even more proof.

"Maybe," Wesker shrugged. "I don't see why you're so interested in that anyway – even if she were some key part of my plan, it's not as though _you_ could stop me, Mercer…"

The moment the taunt left his mouth, the concrete floor beneath him erupted as a multitude of sharp, black spikes pierced upwards, a surprise bid to skewer him where he stood. Dust and debris flew up into the air as several black and red tendrils snaked around Alex's leg. The viral monster frowned under his hood as he glared at the dust cloud where Wesker stood formally – a glare that intensified even more when he heard the dark laughter coming from between the debris. "Still as instinctive as ever, aren't you, Mercer?" He heard Wesker's voice from the dust, and slowly, the grey cloud cleared to reveal the man standing on the tip of one of the outward spikes, casually keeping his balance, his arms folded in mock boredom. "Honestly, I would've thought you've unlearned this behaviour after your little near-death experience."

"What makes you think it's that?" Alex droned. "Instinct drives survival, Wesker. If there's a threat near, we either fight or run away…" He paused. "It _can't_ be instinct – because you're no threat."

Wesker merely chuckled again. "…You must really want to die today, Mercer." The second he finished speaking, he hopped off the spike he was standing on, dropping to the floor. His form blurred the moment his soles hit the concrete, and he dashed forwards with a speed even Alex struggled to follow. A flash of red flickered behind the dark shades, and Wesker made his attack: left foot forward, right hand reared back for a palm strike that, Alex figured, would no doubt blast him clean off the building… _if_ it hit him.

The palm shot forward, a visible vacuum forming around the wrist from the sheer speed of the attack, and Alex could almost swear he saw slipstreams trailing from the attacker's fingers. Wesker's smirk had turned outright maniacal at this stage – at least, it _did_ until he realized that instead of punching a hole clean through Mercer's stomach, he'd struck nothing but a small cloud of slowly dissipating red mist.

To any normal human, it would've seemed as though Alex Mercer had just… _disappeared_. Wesker, however, was no normal human – his near-godlike reflexes let him see the trails of mist travelling around his form with such clarity, it could just as well have been black fog in a pure white room. Another sinister chuckle escaped him, and he turned around to face Mercer. His suspicions had been proved correct – 'Zeus' stood there, twenty feet behind him, glaring daggers. Again, Wesker's reflexes kicked in, and he could see the red mist slowly trailing towards the hooded man, reforming his body at a pace most normal fools would consider _frighteningly_ fast. "Huh… You've learned a few new tricks, Mercer…" He praised.

Alex frowned. "You've gotten faster," he said pointedly. "Much faster. Stronger too." The viral monster's eyes turned a deep, shining red as tendrils started shifting and writhing up and down his arms. "I get the feeling you're not willing to settle for a draw this time." He held out his arms, gritting his teeth slightly as bones snapped and muscle tore. Slowly, the tendrils started withdrawing, leaving his now mutated arms visible. Each one seemed to be covered by the same chitinous plates that formed his 'armour', and a thumb and three fingers tipped off each hand. What resembled a macabre, bony piston jutted from each elbow, and the muscles bulged slightly, a red glow drifting down the limbs, illuminating muscle lines and bone briefly. "That's good," he mused as he clenched his fists. "Because this time, I won't settle for one either."

Wesker's smirk once again split into a grin as he assumed a martial arts stance. Gray, veined tendrils snaked out from under his longcoat, arcing across the roof of the building. "You remember this, don't you, Mercer?" He grinned. "Uroboros. It turns out it was a success after all." He paused. "Well… Seeing as I'm 'not a threat'," he said venomously, "I'd guess that means the first strike is _mine!_" With those words, he dashed forwards again.

"Heh. You can have _ten_ strikes," Mercer taunted as he readied himself. "It still won't make a difference."

Wesker's palm shot forwards once more, the gray tendrils snaking around his arm as yet another vacuum formed around the limb, and at the same time, the piston in one of Mercer's arms drew back, spinning at such a speed it was working up steam. Alex retaliated as he saw the palm tearing towards him, and launched a crushing attack of his own.

Open palm and clenched fist met dead-on, and in the area around the two, quite a few people flinched as what sounded like a loud thunderclap echoed across the midday sky.

* * *

Elsewhere, on the island-like platform inhabited by what many referred to as "Mercer's Blackwatch", Specialist-Captain Robert Cross flinched as he was busy tying the laces of his combat boots. He frowned slightly. After Alex… 'saved' him from the Supreme Hunter, he'd been a little more in-tune with the larger viral manifestations than he was comfortable with. One of those viral manifestations was Mercer himself – that meant, whenever 'Zeus' decided to go to town and kill himself some dumbasses, Cross received the equivalent of a blearing siren and an annoyingly loud '_Danger!'_ warning from his little link with the man. That normally hit him with all the pain and agony one would feel when, say, pistol-whipped or dropped from a massive height.

The injuries he'd sustained fighting that eloquent trench-coated fucker weren't making it any easier, either. Honestly, it seemed as though whatever deity governed the world _really_ hated him nowadays – he could hardly ever catch a break. First, he decides to make do with a stun-rod and a grenade launcher. Lo and behold, he gets his ass handed to him both by Mercer _and_ by the Supreme Hunter. Then he decided he wasn't going to settle for being caught without a fighting chance again, so he grabbed himself a knife, some flash grenades and two modded Berettas as well. Lo and behold – _again_ – he gets his ass kicked – _again_ – by a man who may or may not be a viral incarnation and a threat to all humanity – _**again**_**. **

Finally done redressing himself, the Captain sighed and stood up. Honestly, there were some days where he thought he might've been better off still trapped in the Supreme Hunter's stomach.

* * *

Dana Mercer jerked slightly as she walked, that ever-nagging ping in the back of her head alerting her that her brother was busy ruining some poor soul's day. She looked to the side, seemingly staring at the steel wall a few inches from her, before letting out a dejected sigh and moving on, clutching a folder of documents to her chest.

There was quite a panic going on, at the moment. The little Diclonius, Nana, had gone to check up on 'Kaede', as she had revealed, only to find an empty bed. Normally, this would have spooked Dana as well – after all, with Alex away and Cross in a sour mood, she was left with the reins. However, when something has happened at least a handful of times in the past two weeks, and the person _causing_ the panic made it clear they had no intention of stopping any time soon, it became less of a panic and more of an annoyance.

Still, Dana couldn't fault Kaede for her actions. If anything, it was quite a heartwarming gesture. Ever since the 'queen' was capable of hobbling around without support, it had become a herculean chore to keep the woman in her bed. Dana palmed her face as she walked to her destination. None of the people she'd assigned to watch over Kaede had actually succeeded in their jobs. At first she thought putting Beast on watch outside her door would at _least_ ensure Kaede got enough rest to heal up. _Fool me twice, shame on me_, she sighed inwardly. Of course, she'd forgotten the one thing about Jonathan 'Beast' Steele that mattered most:

The man simply didn't give a fuck. _Especially_ not after his little spat with Jo.

Dana's eye twitched as the image of the young, silver-haired Genocide Angel flitted through her head. _That_ one took the whole job one step further than Beast did: instead of actually keeping Kaede restrained and ensuring she got rest – which, by all forms of logic, the young queen _**needed**_ after getting tenderized by the Hunter – Jo instead opted to _help_ Kaede go where she wanted to, I.V drips, limps and all. Meg did exactly the same thing – and the two of them were almost _stupidly_ unrepentant of their actions. Jo always feigned disinterest and boredom whenever Dana stressed the fact that Kaede had been put through the metaphorical meat grinder (though the fact that her throat was still slashed probably contributed to her silence), and Meg just kept smiling brightly while lying that she 'understood' and that it 'won't happen again next time'…

…and it _always_ happened again the next time. _Always_.

Finally, Dana reached her destination: Ward Zero, in the West Wing. Her face soured a bit as she remembered what caused the room to become occupied in the first place. Honestly, after spending time with Alex and his merry band of misfits, someone 'coming back to life' didn't faze her that much anymore. But this… According to the retrieval team…

She sighed as her hand rested on the doorknob. The young man, Kouta… He was ambushed after saving his cousin Yuka. A dozen men armed with AK-47's, the team said. And each AK was empty – not a single round in the mag or the chamber. It was a massacre, apparently… Kouta had been found in a pool of blood larger than the craters Alex left when he landed. Dead for about an hour, it was determined. Pale, cold, lifeless, rigid – the boy was, by all definitions, _dead_.

Then he screamed.

And then he came back to life.

That had been two weeks ago. Kouta had regained brief consciousness _once_ when he arrived – and Dana had been present then. She made a startling discovery, when the boy started whispering his lover's name. His eyes had changed – they had become… _sinister_, in appearance. The pupil had become slitted, much like a snake's, and his irises had turned a bright, _bright_ emerald, with a few streaks of blue splattered here and there. At first, she didn't know what the hell happened. The eyes looked familiar, true, but with the panic his resurrection had caused, nobody could think any further than that.

It wasn't until Alex mentioned the name 'Wesker' that Dana started to piece things together. She grimaced slightly, her hand still firmly resting on the doorknob, her gaze downcast. His eyes looked a lot like the maniac's did – true, the irises were a different color and the pupils had become narrower, but it still resembled the eyes she took notice of the _one_ time in her life that she had met Albert Wesker. She shuddered slightly – Wesker had interacted with her for a total of two minutes and she was already absolutely terrified of the man. To think that he could interfere in Kouta and Kaede's lives…

Dana sighed dejectedly. Those two had been through _so much_ already… and now, even more shit was rocketing towards the fan with Wesker's appearance. _I hope Alex knows what he's doing… _She thought to herself bitterly. _Wesker… His plans _always_ succeed – even when they fail. _She paused. _If… If this goes on… I might even need to call _him_._

Sighing to herself, she slid the sandblasted door open and stepped inside. What she saw came as no surprise – after all, she'd seen it about a dozen times beforehand in the past two weeks. Ward Zero was Kouta's ward, after all. Thus, seeing the young woman sitting beside his bed, slumped forward and fast asleep, had become something of a normalcy around the fortress inhabited by 'Mercer's Blackwatch'. You know something had become commonplace when the young queen's doctors, without a hint of exasperation or outrage, went right to Ward Zero whenever her room turned up empty.

Still, Dana couldn't really bring herself to launch into a 'woman-in-charge' tirade of authority. She tried once – God alone knows, she tried – but seeing Kaede sitting faithfully by Kouta's side, her hand clutching his own even as she slept, was just a bit too heartwarming for her to disrupt.

So, with a shrug to herself, she set about checking on the readings from the few remaining machines Kouta was connected to. Everything seemed normal – it had been exactly eleven days since his last seizure, and the scale of that one was _drastically_ small compared to the one he had after he came back. Heart rate and brain activity seemed okay, breathing was regular, and –

"…Dana?"

Dana smiled as she turned around, seeing Kaede sit up stiffly, her eyes still narrow and glassed over from her nap. The young queen had healed amazingly – even Alex was baffled. Sure, she'd have her scars – even Cross still had his; you didn't just _walk away_ from the Supreme Hunter without a few of them – but the bruising and smaller nicks and cuts from glass and other things were near non-existent now. The only visible remainder from her fight was the long, almost jagged scar on her neck, from where her artery was slashed.

"Wow," Dana said with mock surprise. "This is the first time you've actually woken up by yourself. Creds for that… Although the chances of you going back to your bed are…?" She trailed off.

Kaede only smiled slightly as she turned her gaze to Kouta. "None. Not right now."

"I figured as much," Dana said with an exasperated sigh as she drew one of the chairs closer and sat down. "Well, seeing as he's unconscious I'm guessing we've got privacy settled. And even if he can hear… He should."

"Hear what?" Kaede asked, finally turning a confused stare at the woman. "What's going on?"

"You're in danger. Both of you," Dana said. Kaede, however, responded with nothing but a blank stare before reaching up and running a hand over the scar on her neck. Dana sighed. "I mean, you're in _more_ danger than you were before. It's not just GenTek and the Supreme Hunter anymore." _That_ made the queen sit up and take notice. Dana exhaled softly and handed the folder she'd brought with her to the young woman.

Kaede wasted no time in flipping it open, eyes scanning over the few pictures and highlighted words there were. The subject of the folder seemed to be a blonde, middle-aged man who had a taste for dark clothing. She was about to start reading the detailed info – but a small picture caught her eye, one that made her breath catch in her throat.

A red, almost _crimson_ eye, splattered with gold streaks, surrounding a dark, cat-like iris. Recognition dawned on her face immediately. She had _seen_ Kouta's eyes after he came back to life. True, the color differed, but the resemblance was uncanny nonetheless. Slowly, she turned her gaze to Dana, her eyes asking the questions she couldn't vocalize.

"That man," Dana said rather sourly, "is Albert Wesker. I'm going to cut right past all the boring details and summaries, Kaede: Wesker's presence in Kamakura means that some _bad shit_ is going to go down. He's got his sights on Kouta – and that means he's got his sights on you too. GenTek, the Supreme Hunter, they're all little league compared to Wesker."

"What… what makes him so dangerous?" Kaede asked, her eyes still focused on the snapshot of the red, cat-like eye.

"Put simply? He's the absolute epitome of 'superhuman'," Dana answered, folding her arms and reclining in her chair. "His strength and speed are…" She sighed. "Blackwatch only ever got small pieces of footage regarding Wesker – and even from those few seconds we deduced he's beyond practically _anything_ we could throw at him. Even Alex couldn't overtake him – they've fought about three times, and none of those fights yielded a victor." She stood up and walked over to the window. "He's absurdly fast, brutally strong and – worst of all – _terrifyingly _smart." She paused, before turning around and facing Kaede. "And now, he's got his sights set on you two."

"Why?" Kaede asked, looking up from the folder. Her face portrayed a mix of confusion, caution and wariness. "What could he want with us?"

Dana tensed. The one question she was hoping the queen _wouldn't_ ask had just flown right into her face. She pondered for a moment, trying to think of an elaborate excuse to give the young queen, but in the end, she figured she might as well get the truth out early. After all, hiding things from her had almost driven her right into the Supreme Hunter's hands. Sighing once more, she looked Kaede dead in the eye.

"We don't know what he wants with you two, Kaede," she said solemnly, "and _that_ is scaring us more than anything GenTek can throw at us."

* * *

"God _dammit!"_

A cry of rage signalled the half-full glass flying across the dark room before shattering against a wall, coating it with whiskey. "This is _unacceptable!_" Director Kakuzawa yelled as he paced furiously behind his desk, veins on his forehead bulging as he breathed raggedly. "You kept me waiting for _two weeks_ just to tell me you _failed_?! What were you –"

"_We had more pressing concerns than your little pet, Kakuzawa,_" a distorted voice cut him off over the speakerphone. "_Albert Wesker's return poses a greater threat to us than a docile Diclonius queen. Ensuring his affiliates are unaware, and ensuring they _remain_ so, took precedence over a botched assassination of a young boy."_

"You're supposed to be the remnants of the _goddamn Illuminati!_" Kakuzawa bellowed. "You're the fucking _Templars_, for fuck's sake! You're supposed to be _everywhere_, in every government, in every military, in every -"

"_We _were_, Kakuzawa,_" the distorted voice replied icily. "_Back then, we were. You _know_ our influence faded over time, you _know_ Blackwatch was one of our last anchors, and you _know_ we have been on hard times since they broke away from us. The situation is dire, Director. Specialist-General Creed stonewalls all our attempts to get a plant in the military and he's been using recorded documents of our interactions with GenTek in the past to trace our affiliates and sway them from us. Alex Mercer sabotages you – and by extension, _us _– at every corner and has actually been making progress in his little peace rally towards the Diclonii. James Heller has been rallying allies of his own, using his little 'gift' from Mercer to track down our members and slaughter them. And now, with _Albert Fucking Wesker_ back in action, we're looking at another external influence on our little chess game, waiting for just the right moment to kick the table and knock our kings and queens over! So forgive us if we can't focus on your little crush while we're being _fucked from every direction!"

The sudden change of tone made the Director flinch and pale, and he quickly scampered to his large, leather chair to sit before his knees gave in beneath him. The Chairman, as he called himself, rarely swore, doing so only when a situation was nearing the point of no salvation, or when a subordinate managed to piss him off. Realizing that _both _of those occasions had presented themselves, he quickly tried to calm himself. "I… I… I apologize, sir," he said, trembling slightly.

"_Spare me,_" the Chairman huffed over the speaker. "_The operation would have gone as planned had anyone _but_ Wesker interfered. Even if Mercer had found the operators, the boy would still have died. Wesker did _something_ to him, Kakuzawa, and we suspect that _something_ is going to become a considerable thorn in your side on your quest for your little queen."_

"What… What happens now?" Kakuzawa asked warily.

"_Now, you continue doing what we are funding you to do. You will continue your work with the Diclonii. _We_ will deal with Wesker, Mercer and Blackwatch. We realize that, because of Mercer's actions, you are… 'understaffed'_. _We have influence in a small PMC. They have _graciously_ agreed to enter your service free of charge. You will use this to your benefit. You will _not_ ask who they are, you will _not _ask how they sustained themselves, you will _not_ ask where – or _how_ – they conscripted soldiers and you will _not_ ask them how they obtained the weapons and vehicles they have access to. Are we clear, Director?_"

The orders scared Kakuzawa slightly. He'd worked with the Chairman's sanctioned troops once before, and it was an experience he would rather not recall. They had put Blackwatch – the _pre-Mercer Blackwatch_ – to absolute shame in terms of ruthlessness, precision and effectiveness. Still, he couldn't refuse the Chairman's orders. Weak as they currently were, they were _still_ the Illuminati. One did not simply refuse aid from them.

"Crystal, sir," the Director replied shakily. "Wh-when can I expect them?"

"_They are already en route, Director,"_ the Chairman replied. _"They will arrive in eleven hours. Use them as you will. Our Russian friend will also be contacting you soon – he wishes to repay Albert Wesker for the 'gift' he gave those ten Cleaners. A futile action, but he's willing to cooperate with you. His men will assist the good soldiers I have sent you… but they are still fodder."_

"S-sir?" Kakuzawa asked, eyes wide at the implications.

"_My knights and bishops are more valuable than his pawns, Kakuzawa," _the Chairman said icily. "_Keep that in mind… Oh, and Director?_"

"Yes, sir?" Kakuzawa said, finally calm and collected as he had been before this whole clusterfuck. His face had settled back into its smug, smirking mask, and his posture had relaxed greatly once he had processed that he was going to receive a small army to work with.

"_Alongside your father, Raymond McMullen was one of our most valuable assets. He was also a fool. Every action he took regarding Blacklight and Redlight was wrought with idiocy and false superiority. His inaction and lunacy led to the Manhattan incidents, and the loss of our benefactors and investors…" _The Chairman paused. "_Today, _he does not exist."

Kakuzawa gulped at the implication, his mind drawing conclusions as fast as it had made his plans regarding the Diclonii. His suspicions were proved correct when the Chairman spoke again. "_You will _not_ find any trace of Raymond McMullen today. His birth certificate, his financial and educational records, his family tree, his _friends_ and _their_ family trees – all has been removed, destroyed and _erased_. His research was either pawned off to other great minds or destroyed as well. All of this, because he failed us. All of this, because he made _mistakes_."_ The Chairman was silent again, before speaking up again, curtly and directly:

"_Director… Use this information as motivation – and _do not make the same mistakes_."_

Then the line went dead.

* * *

In the dim lighting of the island fortress' comms tower, Specialist-Captain Robert Cross sighed. He'd been dreading this moment since he'd looked at the calendar one week prior, not because of the fact that he had to establish communications with Fort Detrick, but more because of _who_ he had to establish them _with_. Normally he'd only have to contact Fort Detrick in cases of extreme emergency, like a viral outbreak or a massive act of bioterrorism, but after the debacle with the Supreme Hunter, the attempted murder of the 'Queen' of the Diclonii, and the resurrection of _Albert Wesker_, it was no surprise that he received orders from Detrick.

_I expect established communications in one week. I want all the details, no matter what Mercer's orders are. Do not disappoint me._

Cross shuddered slightly. Specialist-General Darius Creed, the man who took the seat of power in Blackwatch after Randall's death and Rooks' 'retrenchment', was a very difficult person to deal with, mainly because he was _so_ calm and controlled that you had absolutely _no idea_ that you were pissing him off until _after_ he was pissed off. The man was fearsome, in all honesty – he'd retained the same sense of justice and morality that Cross himself had, and yet, he had all Randall's ruthlessness and all Rooks' willingness to inch closer to 'the line' as well. He was the kind of person who'd ruffle a kid's hair as he passed them, only to turn back around and _execute_ one of his men for whatever they did wrong without a _shred_ of warning, mercy or hesitation. In public. In broad daylight.

And now Cross had to tell this volatile man that they had not only failed to protect Kaede properly, they also allowed her spouse to _die_ and then be resurrected by someone who was, in every sense of the word, a _colossal _threat to mankind who would without doubt shamelessly exploit the debt that the boy owed him.

What _fun_.

"_Cross,"_ the speakers suddenly bleared to life, casting the muffled, slightly hollow voice across the darkness of the room. "_Speak. How was the queen's life endangered?"_

Cross cleared his throat. "As you know, General, Mercer's findings and recent evaluations had determined that Kaede Riggs was suffering from some kind of amnesia, forced either by herself or an external influence. Due to the uniqueness of Mercer's composition, he was able to relay several memories from Kaede's parents to her, much like Elizabeth Greene did to him in Manhattan. The influx of memories and the facts they held led to an identity crisis and, by extension, a large amount of panic. In her haste, Kaede made her way to a CH-46 assigned to her and her family. The pilots of the chopper saw her state and agreed to take her away from the source of her worry, but not before being joined by a… friend of hers."

"_The one you call Meg,"_ Creed stated matter-of-factly. "_She was mentioned in the reports. Continue. We were told the Seaknight was shot down?"_

"In a manner of speaking, General. A group of rogue Diclonii hurled debris at the chopper, and knocked it out of the air. Pilots Reynald Rudd and Melissa Johnson were both killed in action."

There was silence for a few moments, before the General spoke up again. "_I see… We will have their families tended to and their funerals paid for in full. Continue. Miss Riggs and the one you call 'Meg' encountered something near the crash site?"_

"The Supreme Hunter, sir," Cross said gravely. "It made quick work of the Diclonii and proceeded to attack Meg and Kaede. Kaede suffered an injury in which one of her common carotid arteries were cut open. Fortunately, Meg was there to stop the bleeding. The Hunter was later intercepted by her current lover, delayed, and then intercepted again by Mercer and driven away. Kaede and Meg were successfully extracted from the crash site, and the viral outbreak released by the Supreme Hunter was purged by a strike force led by Operative Emerald."

"_This is disturbing, Captain,"_ Creed spoke, making Cross frown in confusion. "_It has been proven time after time that Mercer, due to his constant state of evolution, is the Supreme Hunter's better. _Why_ did he not kill it?"_

"I… I have no idea, sir, though if I were to hazard a guess I'd say he was more concerned with Kaede's extraction."

"_Unsurprising, considering his history with her father – God rest his soul – but it is still a matter that causes me no small amount of discomfort. Mercer willingly refrained from terminating a severe threat in order to focus on civilians whose absolute safety had _already_ been ensured," _the General said calmly, his voice betraying no emotion except the hint of sympathy at the mention of Nathan Riggs. "_I will speak with Mercer personally once he returns to the fortress. Moving on – the death of the civilian named 'Yuka' and the death and resurrection of Kaede's lover. Explain."_

"The civilian Yuka was one of the two responsible for taking care of the two youngsters in Kouta's care. Unfortunately, she died before she could confirm anything, but I suspect that due to her motherly nature towards the two kids and her unrequited feelings towards her cousin, she was pressing to be informed of Alex's involvement with them. After a few arguments too many, Alex relented and showed her the same memories he showed Kaede. The imagery of Alex's past caused her to react aggressively, leading to an insult aimed at Dana Mercer and Operative Emerald – which, in turn, provoked a violent reaction from Mercer himself. His reaction made Yuka flee from the fortress, and the Blackhawk that was transporting her promptly got shot down near the coast of Kamakura."

"_I was informed of the deaths, Captain. Those were fresh operatives – good men. Young, naïve and idealistic, but good men nonetheless. Their families are being tended to as well. I'm concerned that Alex allowed himself to snap at a civilian, though. Speak honestly, Captain – was the insult grave enough to provoke such a reaction from Mercer?"_

"…I don't know, sir," Cross responded, doing his damndest to keep the hesitation out of his voice. Creed did not become a General just by fighting – he could read people, by voice alone. If he as much as -

"_You're hesitating, Captain. What aren't you telling me?"_

_God dammit. _Cross frowned as he closed his eyes. He owed Mercer a lot, yes – he'd hardly be as stable as he was now if it weren't for the first incarnation of the virus. But at the same time, his loyalty to Blackwatch – the Blackwatch under Creed's command – had been reaffixed the moment the General took over. _Loyalty to a friend or loyalty to a cause… Fuck my life._ Cross cleared his throat before speaking. "I… I thought it would be worth noting that Alex hasn't cared much about Yuka from the start. She was… low, on his list of priorities. I'd almost say he considered her expendable." He paused. "Sir, I don't –"

"_Your honesty has been noted, Captain,"_ Creed cut him off, "_as have your loyalty to both our cause and to a personal friend. My name is _not_ Peter Randall, Captain. I know this story has two sides. I have heard your opinion, now I shall hear Mercer's. Continue. I'm reading here that this Kouta boy was sent in to save his cousin alone." _A pause. _"Just what the _fuck _were you people thinking?"_

Cross stiffened slightly. He had the feeling he had just stepped in range of the General's metaphorical shotgun. He had to tread carefully. "Had I been conscious and in a state to put a halt to the operation, sir, I assure you I would have. I was… incapacitated after my run in with Albert Wesker."

"_I cannot _believe_ Mercer would allow for such a thing to happen. Instincts take over when one's loved ones are threatened, and I'd hazard a guess that boy did things he would _never_ do under normal _or_ abnormal circumstances. You had no operatives near at the time of death, correct?"_

"No, sir. Our operatives arrived shortly after their deaths. They found ten corpses and ten empty AK-47 rifles at the site, though, and after analyzing their faces, we've ID'd them as former Spetsnaz GRU, all dishonourably discharged. They were all dead, though – Mercer revealed they were killed by Albert Wesker, who'd been observing from the sidelines since the op began."

"_And he's also responsible for Kouta's resurrection?"_

"Yes sir. Mercer theorizes that Wesker injected the boy with a strain of the same experimental virus that brought him back to life and gifted him with posthuman abilities. There are several cosmetic differences, though, and this lead to Mercer assuming that, despite his claims of the contrary, Wesker _did_ meddle with the strain somehow. He's woken up once in the past two weeks, and there have been several panics because of near-lethal spikes in his heart rate, but it's died down."

"_This… this is even more disturbing than the fact that Mercer let the Hunter live… Why did he not apprehend Wesker?"_

"Sir, with all due respect, you know he's never really _won_ against Wesker," Cross said bitterly, recalling his defeat at the black-clad man's hands. "The man is the pinnacle of posthuman superiority, even more so than Mercer and his successor, James Heller. Fighting him would just have been a waste of effort on Mercer's behalf. That, and Mercer believes that there's a downside to the posthuman abilities he theorises Kouta will inherit. If there is, Wesker is the only person who could counteract that downside – and I'm thinking _both_ of them know it."

There was silence for another moment as the General seemingly pondered Cross' words. "_This is an unfortunate turn of events. Wesker is a bastard, Captain – whatever he's planning regarding Kouta and the Queen, it's going to affect their lives negatively in some way or form,"_ He said sourly. "_And… as much as I don't want to think along these lines, I need to consider all the previous effects of Wesker's involvement in different viral strains. The Raccoon City outbreak is at the forefront of these thoughts."_ Cross, however, immediately caught on, and felt a chunk of ice forming in his stomach at the thoughts.

"Sir… We can't…" He said, a mask of shock and horror on his face. "After everything they've been through, sir, we can't just –"

"_I know, Captain. I know. It's a hard decision to make. But we need to put the needs of many over the needs of few. If Wesker somehow manages to manipulate the boy through the viral strain, he could end up manipulating the Queen as well. It's a chance we can't afford to take, Captain. Because of this, you have a new absolute order to follow."_

Cross closed his eyes, a bitter expression on his face. His hands clenched into fists. He _knew_ what the order would be, and he knew there was a _very_ likely chance he'd have to follow it. Still, he was a soldier of Blackwatch. He had no choice – he would have to shut up and deal with it. In Blackwatch, there was no room for emotional attachment towards those considered 'too far gone'. He could only hope Kouta wouldn't _be_ that far gone when he woke up… _if_ he ever woke up.

"_When the boy wakes up…" _The General's voice broke his train of thought, and Cross knew the order would follow.

"_If he can, in any way or form be classified as a threat, then you are to kill him."_

* * *

Another thunderclap sounded across the roofs of the skyscrapers in Kamakura. The civilians had long since cleared out, fearing some kind of military battle, but the area had quickly been cordoned off by a mix of Blackwatch operatives as JSDF personnel. Impacts sounded off like cannon fire, making the soldiers below wince. The could literally _see_ the shockwaves flaring outward from the top of one of the buildings. Blackwatch operatives had told the JSDF personnel that it was simply a 'combat exercise' and that they were 'testing new equipment in the name of civilian safety'.

The irony lay in the fact that both were at _least_ half-true.

With a final collision of fists, the two fighters separated, leaping back to put distance between them. At an almost _impossible_ rate, the cuts adorning Albert Wesker's body mended themselves, skin and muscle knitting back together as he threw his trademark smirk at his one-time associate and _new_ rival. Alex Mercer, for all the cracks in the chitinous armor adorning his body, still kept that same, levelled stare directed at the maniacal superhuman. They had been at an impasse for roughly an hour – Wesker, for all his strength, could not stay close to Mercer long enough to break through his armour, for fear of being bisected and consumed. Yet Mercer, for all his different mutations and evolutions, could not wound Wesker severely enough to warrant a killing blow – the egoistical madman was simply too fast.

Uroboros had its perks, after all – especially once it was mastered.

"You never cease to amaze, Mercer," Wesker spoke with a confident voice, sounding as though he wasn't winded in the slightest. "Every time, you manage to come up with some innovative new way to tip the odds in your favour. Is defeat the catalyst for your pursuit of evolution… or is it something else? I wonder: will you regress _again_ if someone else almost kills you? Or will you regress once you see something you _don't like_?"

"That makes no sense," Mercer scoffed as the cracks in his armour mended themselves, tendrils of black snaking around the fissures before dissipating into the same bony material. "What do you mean 'regress'?" He asked, one arm shifting into a veritable cloud of black tendrils before forming into a wickedly curved blade almost as long as he was tall.

"Think about it, Mercer," Wesker grinned. "All your life, you've been caught in this little merry-go-round; you can't decide whether you want to be the hero or the villain." His smirk broadened when he saw Mercer frown even behind the bony faceplace of his armour. "First you were cold, a monster; then you became a 'hero' to fight against the very virus you helped create. Then the world disappointed you, and _just like me_, you came to hate what humanity has become – and you acted on that hate, in the most _stupid_ way possible. It almost got you killed, didn't it? The very man you thought would be your greatest weapon nearly killed you – and if it weren't for that old, hypocritical fool, Heller would have _succeeded._ Now… Now you've changed again. Changed for the sake of some deadbeat former marine and his dear, deranged, sociopathic little daughter." He looked Mercer dead in the eye, his irises glowing behind his shades. "I wonder… What will happen if you fail again, Mercer? Will you start hating humanity again? Will your 'Evolved' spawn once more and try to end everything?" He paused, his smirk evolving into a full grin. "Maybe you won't need the Evolved at all… After all, you've got the Diclonii now, don't you?"

"You have no idea how fucking wrong you are," Mercer said icily, glaring at the black-clad superhuman before him. "I've evolved beyond it all. I evolved beyond the hate when I learned that there are those who don't _deserve _it. I evolved beyond the superiority when I learned I was _still_ inferior in a way, just as you are. I evolved beyond the disillusions because I saw the _reality _of humanity," he said, just a hint of pride in his voice. "I used to be like you. I hated humanity. I thought I was the next step, the next phase of evolution, the embodiment of superiority. I thought the masses were worthless scum, who didn't deserve to live. But I evolved beyond that, because of those who proved me wrong. I evolved beyond that because instead of focusing on what humanity _isn't_, and what they do _wrong_, I was shown what they _are_, and what they do _right_, and I was shown _exactly_ why they'll always be our betters, _despite_ our ascension." The bladed arm suddenly pointed right at Wesker, an accusatory gesture that singled the manipulative monster out.

"I evolved beyond _you_, Wesker," Alex growled, his eyes narrowed. "And in that evolution I saw something that _destroyed _my fixation on human weakness. I saw human _strength_. I saw a man, my own weapon, embrace what he was – not to destroy me, but to find his own daughter _at any cost_. I saw a woman disillusioned with what her brother had become move beyond it and forgive him. I saw a man move past the death of his wife and steel his face for the sake of his daughter, because she _needed_ him. I saw that same man give his life so there could be a chance to _find_ that daughter. I saw a Diclonius, broken and beaten by human darkness, grow to _love_ another human and move beyond what she was, and I watched that same human grow to love her too, _despite_ the pain she had caused him. I saw a woman so devoted to her family that she _willingly_ _took a stand against me,_ because she was _worried _about them."

He had started walking towards the dark-dressed superhuman, his blade still pointing forwards. "_That_ is not weakness, Wesker," Alex continued, his voice still a low growl. "That's just a fraction of the _strength_ humanity is capable of… and that _strength_ is what makes humanity, and all its variants – be they normal, Diclonius or otherwise - _superior_," he said. He was now barely three feet away from Wesker, the tip of his bladed arm mere _millimetres _away from the man's chest. "No matter what you say, Wesker… No matter what you do, no matter what you plan, and no matter what you show me… As long as that strength is present, I will fight to _preserve_ it… I will fight to _unite_ it… and I will fight – and _die_ – to _protect_ it."

Wesker's face twisted into a mask of disappointment, his lips askew as he gazed at Mercer. "You seem oddly convinced of something you have no proof of, Mercer," he said icily. "Are you basing your motives off your own delusions now? I thought better of you."

"It's hardly a delusion, Wesker," Alex spoke, for the first time losing the growl in his voice, a smirk rivalling Wesker's own plastered on his face. "On the contrary, Wesker, I have proof - all the proof I need - in the fact that two, _puny_ little humans managed to _kill you_."

Wesker's face hardened. His mouth, instead of its normal smirk, had pulled into a tight, straight line, and his brow had creased downwards into the beginnings of a frown. His eyes, though… They shone brighter than ever before, directing a glare potent enough chill a lesser being right at Alex. The viral monster, however, kept his stance, his blade still hovering a hair's breadth from the man's chest. Slowly, almost _sullenly_, Wesker took a few steps back, his glare never leaving his new rival. "They say truth is a matter of perspective, Mercer," he said coolly, his face still stony and dark. A loud _whirring_ sound exploded behind him, and a Blackhawk of unknown affiliation suddenly hovered behind him. With practiced ease, Wesker leapt, covering the thirty foot distance as though it were nothing, and landing in the doorway with a loud _thunk_. He turned back to face Mercer, that same glare still in his eyes, before his trademarked smirk found its way back onto his face. "When your perspective clears, Mercer… When you realize your new 'truth' is nothing but a lie… I will be there – if only to end your misery once and for all. _This is not over_."

With those words, the Blackhawk banked away, flying into the distance to God alone knows where the megalomaniacal superhuman was hiding out. Releasing a contented sigh, Alex's armour slowly broke down, shifting into clouds and tendrils of biomass before retracting into his body, leaving him standing in his standard attire as he gazed at the now fleeing helicopter. "You're damn right this isn't over, Wesker," he said confidently, the beginnings of a smile on his face as he turned around and started to walk away.

"Hope you don't age, though – because you're in for a _long_ wait."

* * *

…_you can't save her…_

It was cold. So very, very cold. It chilled him right to the bone, seeping through his skin and muscles or whatever was in place of his skin and muscles. He couldn't move. He couldn't move to build up heat, he couldn't move to exercise his aching muscles, he couldn't move to sit up, _he couldn't move, not even to shiver or scream or retch or whimper in the cold, cold darkness around him_ and it was terrifying him to no end.

…_what makes you think you can save her…?_

Images, vivid and colourful and red and bloody and bright and bloody and _red and intricate and bloody_ flicker before him, not a memory, but not an image, but something in between but not in between at all. A little girl stood staring at him, wide eyes and curious, and in a flash _red and blood and blood-red blood_ her mutilated corpse was lying in a pool of _red_ as _blood_ seeped into her clothes, tinting it _blood-red_. Another flash, another _bloody, blood-red flash_. A handsome older man stood one second, smiling, and with the next flash his head was on the floor and a fountain of _red_ was arcing out of the _bloody_ hole where the neck was.

…_you couldn't save them…_

He shivered.

…_you lied…_

He tried to whimper.

…_they died_…

…_you lied…_

…_**you lied**__…_

…_they died because __**YOU LIED**__..._

He tried to scream.

…_liar…_

…**_l_**_**iar**__…_

…_**LIAR!**__..._

Another flash, another crimson flash. A group of armed men stood, doing nothing, talking amongst themselves. Another flash flickered, a split-second _crimson_ curtain, and the men were flying backwards in showers of debris _and red and blood_, and explosion between them killing them and incinerating their limbs in showers of _blood-red blood_.

…_you killed them…_

More men were running. The men were gripping their rifles, fear etched on their face. Something _bloody_ flashed again and the men were falling, bullets shredding chunks off their faces and chests and showers of _**RED**_ and _blood_ jetting from the _**BLOODY**_ holes.

…_you __**KILLED THEM!**__..._

A man was standing over a woman bound to a chair. The woman's face was shadowed. The man seemed displeased. _**BLOOD**_ flashed again. The man was on his back, eyes wide and glassed over as _**RED**_ trickled from the corners of his mouth, his flak jacket _**BLOODY**_ and stained from the _**BLOOD-RED**_ blade of a knife.

…_murderer…_

…_**murderer**__…_

…_**MURDERER!**_...

He couldn't scream. He couldn't whimper.

He tried to do so anyway.

He failed.

He tried to move.

He failed.

Another flash of _**RED**_. A woman stood before him. Brown hair, dark eyes, face etched in worry. Yet another flash of _**BLOOD**_ blinded him. The woman's eyes were widened. Her right temple, blown outwards by a _**BLOOD**_-soaked bullet, had frozen mid-injury. Her shirt, her pants, her arms, her legs, covered in _**RED BLOOD**_.

…_you couldn't save her…_

No…

…_you failed…_

No!

…_failure…_

Shut up!

…_**failure**_…

_Shut up!_

…_**FAILURE!**_...

He tried to scream again.

And suddenly the _**RED**_ flashes were gone. The view was serene. A tree, falling cherry blossoms, and a haunting tune, light and melodic, coming from a music box far out of sight. The light intensified. It blinded him. And when it dissipated… there was a woman. Two cat-ear-like horns on the sides of her head. Short, light red – red? – yes, red hair, and dark, almost crimson eyes staring at him. There was a soft smile on her face, a smile that made him feel peace. He didn't try to move anymore. He didn't need to. Nor did he try to scream and cry and whimper – why would he, in _her_ presence?

…_you want to save her…_

…What?

…_you want to protect her_…

Y-Yes!

…_what makes you think you can…?_

I… What?

…_you couldn't protect your sister…_

…_you couldn't protect your father…_

…_**you couldn't PROTECT Yuka**__…_

No… Leave me alone…. Leave me alone!

…_you are a failure…_

Shut up!

…**failure**…

_Shut up!_

…_you cannot protect her…_

Yes! Yes I can! _Shut up!_

…_you are weak…_

…_you cannot protect her…_

_Leave me alone!_

The image was changing. The cherry blossoms disappeared and the tree rotted, turning black and dead as the woman kept smiling. The bright light faded into shadow. The woman kept smiling. The horns on the sides of her head shattered. She winced, but kept smiling. Something _**RED**_ trailed down her chin from the corner of her mouth.

…_you cannot protect her…_

_**RED**_ flashed again. Her pale skin was caked with dried _**BLOOD**_. Her hair, once light, was now a dark shade of _**BLOOD-RED**_, almost as _**BLOOD-RED**_ as her eyes.

…_**you cannot protect her**__…_

…_**YOU CANNOT PROTECT HER!**__..._

Finally, he could scream.

* * *

And deep inside the hospital on Blackwatch's island fortress, inside the small, isolated Ward Zero, amidst haywire machines and panicked doctors and a scream so inhuman it bordered on _unholy_…

…two emerald, cat-like eyes shot wide open.

-X-CHAPTER END -X-

* * *

***peeks out from behind riot shield* You're still here after that? Oh, good! *ducks back***

…

…**Well, I have no excuses. It's been three years since I updated. Bad Chaos. Very bad. I'd go sit myself in a corner if I weren't hell-bent on finishing this chapter. I'm half tempted to say 'Hey! At least you got an update!' but that would make me an insufferable tw*t, so I won't.**

**Anyhow! On to business**

**_IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING THIS FIC_:**

**Did that get your attention? Goody! Right – I won't mince words so I'll get right to the point. Exactly 1****½ MONTHS**** from now, I will begin posting a rewrite of this story.**

**No, no, nonononono WAIT! Come back! And put away your bolters and don't cry "HERESY!" just yet. There's method to my madness.**

**When I first published this story way, way, waaaaaay back, I was very young, very excitable, very inexperienced and very, very fixated on Badassitude. As you can guess, at least one of these things remained (you have three guesses). However, recently I took a nice day off and I decided to read through my story and see how my skills of today measure up to the skills of me from 3+ years ago.**

… **I still get nightmares from time to time. **

**The faults of this story are of a magnitude so high, it makes me shudder. And yet, it's still my most popular story so far. For that, I have all you wonderful readers to thank (even if you aren't present anymore after deciding "F*ck that $$hole Chaos, no more waiting!"). This, however, leads to a predicament for me: I feel that this story, for all its popularity, is still quite an insult. You know. Because grammar and spelling and plot holes and stuff.**

**So I sat thinking to myself: I can do ****BETTER**** than this! I've grown! I've matured as a writer! I'm the top scorer of my English Grad Class, dammit! I realize I've made many flaws. I've COMPLETELY downplayed Lucy/Kaede and Nana's utter badassitude, I've rushed into Kouta's (canonically non-existent) Badassitude too quickly, and the OC's I wrote are all over the place in terms of development. Hell, even the NON-OC's are all over the place in terms of development. **

**As such, I have decided that I will begin working on Blacklight: Relight post haste. I do this both because I want to improve on my flaws, and I want to make it up to the readers for writing a story that, despite the Badassitude, is all over the place in every other department. **

**I say I will start in 1½ months for one sole reason: I want input from YOU, my dear readers (few as you may be). I will be retooling my OC's, rewriting the canon character to fit their canon personalities more closely, fixing up plot holes and glaring dialogue issues and the like. It's still a multicrossover, though – that I refuse to change. **

**SO: Let me know, dear readers. What do YOU want to see more of? What do YOU want to see less of? What do YOU love about this story, and what do YOU hate about it? Please, leave me your thoughts in a review or send me a PM with your opinion in it, as well as all the choice flames and curses you want to use to liven it up (yes, here's looking at YOU, **Black Vendetta :P**). Seriously though, I really, really want to fix this story up, but I can only do so if YOU, my dear readers, assist me with it. **

**So! Thank you to all readers who've stood by me despite my 3+ year hiatus. Thank you all for actually reading in the first place, and thank you all for your continues support. Look out for Blacklight: Relight in 1½ months! I can promise more action, more character development, a bit more romance (maybe?) and last but not least, loads and LOADS more Badassitude! (The absolutely AMAZING author Peptuck summarized this way of thinking magnificently: 'When in doubt, err on the side of ****kicking ass****!' Oh, and feel free to check out his fics too – they're amazing).**

**Well, readers, until next time, thanks again for all the support over the years,**

**Chaos out!**


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